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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

1938

Recreation in Louisville : an historical sketch.

Elizabeth Arterburn Wilson 1902-1998 University of Louisville

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Recommended Citation Wilson, Elizabeth Arterburn 1902-1998, "Recreation in Louisville : an historical sketch." (1938). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1929. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/1929

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RECREATION Ilf LOUISVILLE AX HISTORICAL SKETCH •

• J. D1ssertation Submit ted to the Facult,. Of the Graduate School of the Universit,. of Louisville In partial Fulf1llment of the Requirements for the Degree Of Kaster of Arts

Department of Sociology

El1zabeth Arterburn Wilson

Year 1938 ..

Alf ACDOWLEDGmmlT

In writing this historical Sketch, it was necessary to asg the assistance of many people and organizations. This is by way of thanking them. Especial thanks are due Miss Frances Ingram, without whose patient help, inspiration, and encouragement this thesis could not haTe been written; Dr. Robert xntax, Mr. Chester Bower, and Dr. Ernest Hassold for their helpful critici8m; Mr. Harold L. Brigham for his tolerance during the preparation of this material; the Librarians of the University of Louisville and the Louisville Free Public Library for their xindness and help1'u.lness; the Department of Public .elfare; the Board of Park Commissioners; the Community Chest; the Council of Social Agencies; the Works Progress Administration; the Filson Club; the JUTenile Court; the Un1'ed States Children's Bureau, Department of Labor; and the ifational Recreation Association for information. In conclusion I extend my appreciation to my sister Ruth Wilson for her invaluable assistance in the preparation of this sketch. RBCREATIOB IX LOUISVILLE All HISTORICAL SD'l'CH COftEllTS

I. IlITRODUOl'IOX II. HISTORICAL BAOKGROUID III. PUBLIO REOREATIOK IV. IJlTERPRE'l'ATIOlf V. BIBLIOGRAPHY VI. APPENDIX I. IITR ODUCT I 011 1

DEPIJlI'rI Olf*

Recreation is that ph7sical or mental diversion brought into pla7 upon the individual in order to rean1llate him atter some special strain ot work. Recreation 1U;r be in the torm. rL organ­ ized play, staple amRsement, change ot occupation, or aere17 a gaJ.D8ss ot heart in contrast to great seriousD8ss.

* Prize winning detinition ot Recreation submitted by a local woman in a cit7-wide contest conducted b7 the head resident ot Neighborhood House Settle­ ment in 1925. 2

I.

Dr. Stanton Coit, founder of Universit7. Settle­ ment, at the tittieth anniversary ot the settlement, said 1n part: "I understand my theme is 'How it came about' - 'How thls settlement came about.' Well I don't know. Thi.ngs that have really great value nobody knows at the t1Jae. I don't know, and I should be ashamed of not know1ng, except that I have been reading books on the psychology ot great creative artists and they tell me that no artist knows what he is doing untU he does it. "1 am sure tbat I should not have the credi t for anJthing more than the torces cL work that went the same wa7 and 1 was their instrument. I have a sentence here from an author 1 very much respect which throws light on 'how it came about.' Thls writer says: 'An idea bas strength not 11ke the strength ot waves whlch grow weaker as they advance but like that of wild tire whiC,", when kindled from a sparJt, reaches impetuously about aDd grows stronger as it ad­ vances. The strength does not lie 1n the sparJt alone but in the t1ader lying ever,where around.' 1 was that tiny sparJt, and the great heart ot Bew York and America was the tinder. And that is the way it came about.

"The sparlC was lighted - I don't know how - but it was the tinder that was there; not in the upper classes of America, it was among the people; it is the heart of democracy." The same is true ot the recreation movement, although no one person can be pOinted out as the tirelighter. Its growth has been like the spreading ot the wildtire, which reaches impetuousl,. about and grows 8tronger as it advances. This wildtire is natural, a part ot lite, tanned into warmth and brilliance by the winds ot leisure time. All people have some leisure - that amount ot. t~e remaining atter the necessary "bread,and water­ things ot lite have been attended to - that time in which the !Ddividual _y do the things he mos t enj o)"s. Wbether this enjoyment taEes the torm ot an organized game or a parlour triCE, determines the tn>e ot the iDd1vidual participant or his adaptabilit)" to super­ vised leisure time direction. our complex urban lite, our mechanized order ot living, our forced unemploy,ment, have contributed sign1t1cantl)" to g1ving the people of America more leisure time. This increase in t1Dae tor pla,.ing has brought with it a corresponding increase in ways ot utilizing it. Free play, sports of all kinds, hobbies, amusements, ranging all the way from the penn)" arcade to grand opera, have resulted. How this leisure time is employed, to a large degree determ1nes the character of the individual. Someone has said that a countrJ is known not by the products it produces, but by the individuals it turns out. How better then can one evaluate the strength of a countrJ than by turning the microscope upon the leisure t1Dae activities of its people. !here have been many theories advanced about

lei~re, play, and recreation. Rainwater gives us the tollowing: "Play is a mode ot behavior, either in­ d1v1dual or collective, involving pleasurable act1v1ty ot any kind not undertaken for the sake of a reward beyond itselt and performed during any age period of the individual, the par­ t1cular act10n being determined at a g1 ven time by the somatlc structure and soclal attltudes ot the agent in conjunct10nwlth the l1fe of the grDup or groups ot which he 1s a mem.ber."J. "Play 1s not a g1ven type ot activity, auch aa, 'sporta,' 'games,' 'recrea­ t10ns,' or 'relaxatlons'; nor 1s 1t the 'motor hablts aDd spirlts of the past ot the race, perslsting 1n the present' (Rall), although lt frequently does exercise 'those nerve centers that are old in the race' (Patr1ck). It d(ll s not consume merely the 'surplus energJ" of the 1ndiv1dual by 'Supertluous and usele8s exerclses or facult1e8 that have been qulescent' tor a time (Spencer) but on the contrary, siDee 'a person is a center of conscious impulses which realize them.selves in rull only 1n rea11zing a soc1ety' (Small), 1t fre­ quently happens that 'all energy 1s expended 1n play' (Patr1ck) in response to group st1mu.lation ••••• It does not simply 'prepare tor the necessary ~ dut1e8 ot -.ture l1te' (Groos), for 1t 1s common to maturity as well as imma­ tur1ty, involving 'those activities wh1ch are not consciously performed tor the sake ot any reward beyond themselves' (Dewey) during any age period ot personal experience and in any portion of a g1ven day, in work1ng hours as well a8 in le1sure time, since 'play is an attitude ot mind' (Dewey) that anyone may attain in any 8ituation 'in which interest i8 selt-developing' (Patrick). It is

1. RaiDwater, Clarence, The Play Movement in the United States, Univers1ty ot chicago press, 1922, p. 8. 5

pleasurable, relative17 spontaneous, a motive force which tinds expression in art and in certain types of work, as in the 'instinct ot workmanship,' but when ::~:~0::I2 take the fora of antisocial

Veblen in his "Theor7 ot the Leisure Class" sa7s that leisure does not mean iDdolence or quiescence. It cannotes non-productive consumption of time tro.. a sense d the unworthiDess of productive work and as an evidence that the individual is wealthy enough not to work ~d thus can afford a lite of idleness. However, Veblen did not attempt to extend his theories be70nd' the given group, or in his own words, "the leisure class." In the past tew ,-ears the leisure ",lass has ot a Decessity changed f'rom a group, idle from its own volition, to one whose leisure bas not become selt­ tap08ed. According to Beume7er3 the beg1nD1ng ot

lei~e is hidden in antiquit7. People bave always had 80me free time, and to till up this time, whether it be time selt-taposed 01' not, some form of recreation was indulged in. Ceremonia18, tribal dance8, cantatioDs to the Gods, all held places in the life of the primi­ tive people. Social classes emerged. The upper classes were exempt from menial labor. Tools were invented, thus freelng men frODl long hours of toll, and as a result culture developed. cutten sa7s that "ciyll1za­ t10DS were the product ot leisure."'

2. Rainwater, Clarence, ~. cit., pp. 6-~. 3. lIeume7er, II. H. aDd E. S.;-teisure and Recreation, A. S. Barnes and Co., 1936; p. 15. 4. cutten, G. B., Threats of Lelsure, Amerlcan EducatioD Press, 1933, p. 2. 6

In Greece, although leiS1re was only tor the tavored aristocrats, ~es were taught the boys as part ot their religion. During the Middle Ages recreation went to the extreme. Betting on tights: cock tights, bull tisnts, tights between men; tairs, jousts, tourna­ ments, extravaganzas, theatricals, all these veered "to the lett." As a result the church stepped in aDd opposed the pleasures ot the people. This interterence was unsuccesstul and the leisure class continned its pleasures while the rest toll owed its pace. In America the early pioneers trowned upon idleness, aDd regarded playas undesirable. Group acti­ vities in the toms of corn-huskings, bean-settings, and wheat threshings, brought groups ot people together primarily to accomplish a certain amount ot work. How­ ever, these gatherings were not without their social side. Spelling bees, "sings," and recitations ot Bible verses, held primarily for the Sake ot "snatchiDg

the ~le trom the Devil," were at the most, social recreation. These torms of leimre time activities were satisfactory as long as the people were settling the land and exploring the natural resources, but as indus­ tries grew and cities began to expand, other rorms ot leisure time activities developed. To the early pioneers, the amount of leiS1re time, now made possible

by the growth of lIUlchine industr7, would have been UIl­

beard ~. During tbe past third of a centUl"'J, there ,

has been a complete change of thought. Whereas 1D the past there had been prejudice, there is now a complete acceptance of sports and amusements as a part of every­ dar life. steiner sars: "Recreation has become so securely en­ trenched in the habits and folkways ot the people that it is now a doainatiD8 force wielding strong 1Dtluence in many directions. In the eager rush to secure more time tor recreational activities, Sunday blue laws bave been swept aside and the entire week end bas for large nUJllbers d people been tur:ned entirelr over to the pursui t ot pleasure. The growing interest in adult recreation has Drought a new and powerful force into the struggle tor shorter hours ot labor. The opening of the doors of recreation to the _ss of people strengthens their determination to attain a standard ot living that will include ample provision tor the enjoyment ot leisure. cities have tound it protitable to build up recreational tacilities aDd give them wide publicitr in their efforts to attract new industries and increase their popula­ tion. So universal bas become the iIl- terest in recreation that it has led to the building up of buge enterprises reach­ ing out into many fields of business aDd industry. The manufacture and sale of sporting goods, the furnishing ot amuse­ ments on a commercial baSis, and the vast army of coaches, play directors, protessional sportsmen, sport writers, and others who make their living within the tield ot recrea­ tion are powerful forces that have been called into being by the insatiable desire for play and amnsement.w5 This historical sketch will attempt to show how Louisville has moved along with the recreation movement,

5. Steiner, J. F., Aaericans at Plal, McGraW-Hill Book Co., Inc., 1933, p. 11. 8

and an effort will be made to indicate some of the steps made toward the future. Although Louisv1lle was one of the p10neer c1ties in the playground movement, assisting in the formation of the .ational Playground and Recreation Association, it has not kept pace with the ever-increas­ ing Deed for more and adequate facilities.

~he question may arise as to what are considered adequate fac1lit1es for a city the size of Louisville. According to the children's Bureau, Department of Labor, Washington, D.C., at least three acres of land is needed for a sat1sfactory p1a7ground for chil­ dren. ~o be adequate, according to the standards set up by the Bationa! Recreation Association, the play­ ground should have a shelter house for both boys aDd girls aDd a space for team games and other active play_ Such an area can serve four or five hundred children at a t1me if the program is skillfully organ1zed. Even if the chUd population 1s less than this, the space eould not be great17 reduced. If the p1a7grOUDd is adjacent to a school building in wh1ch shelter house facilities are available, a smaller area w11l serve. In selecting sites, the playground eould be situated so that children wUl have to walk not more than a quarter of a mile to reach it. Por every 5,000 popula­ tion there should be a baseball field, aDd for every 2,000 there should be one tennis court. S1f1mming pools should be large enough to care for about ten per 9

cent of the population in one da7.6 Louisville, with an estimated population of

335,414 in 193', falls far below the standards set up b7 the Children's Bureau. or this total population, 62,727 are children enrolled in the public and paro­ chial schools; 49,915 are between the ages of five and fourteen years of age. By very simple arithmetic one will see that well over a hundred playgrounds are needed for the child population alone. Twenty-eight playgrounds were operated during the summer of 1937, eighteen by the Recreation Division, Department ot Public Welfare, and seven by the State Wide Recreation Project of the W.P.A., and three with the assistance of the National youth Administration. Every study made of the recreational facilities in Louisville has stressed the need of more play areas.

In 1916 the survey made by Mr. L. H. Weir of the Na­ tioual Recreation Association pointed out that at that time there was a need for forty or fifty additional playgrounds, and seven to nine additional parks. This estimate was based on a school population of 36,000. Today with almost twice as many school children, the city affords only "twenty-eight playgrounds, which would be an adequate number for a town of an approximate child population of 14,000.

6. Gardner, Ella, Develomnt of a Leisure-Time Program, U.S. Government Prlnt~ otrice, Washington, D.d., 1937. 10

Figures are cold and meaningless unless inter­ preted in the light ot need, but it does not take a highly trained statistician to see that eighty tennis courts, eight private and public swimm:"ng pools, seventeen private recreation agencies, fourteen school gJlllll8.siUlts (opened for a tew weeks only in the winter time), and three public golf courses are inadequate to serve the thousands who look to these to fill their leisure time needs. There is a very eVident need for swimming pools, as only one of the pools is in the Recreation Division, and that in very bad condition. Sixteen communi ties ot varying degrees of com­ munity interest compose Louisville. They are namely: Shawnee, Portland, Fairgrounds, Western, Borth central, Central, South Central, the POint, Clifton, Orescent Hill, the Highlands, Germantown, South LouisVille, Par.1tland, Beechmont, and Highland Park. The maps following are self-explanatQrY. The shaded sections indicate that there are six areas with a high rate ot

delinquency. ~le Louisville is not faced with vast slum areas, it does have two very badly overcrowded sections, both of which are located in the Borth Central section of the city. Along with the crowded condition goes its handmaidens, high-rate delinquency, health hazards, low tax returns, unsanitary living conditions,

and inadequate recreation. Over five thousand children

of school age live in these two areas, which are served

•

p 11

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II

• COMMUNITIES IN LOUISVILLE - 1937 Shading denotes high delinquency areas based on Juvenile Court statistios for 1935 •

• 12

c

PRIVATE RECREATION FACILITIES IN LOUISVILLE 13

\ c:;,.~ \ P.G-. \ G.C. \ ~.c.

\------, , \ ~.c.. z.. ':>c." .Co

PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITIES IN LOUISVILLE Legend

P.G. ------Playground P.G. (N)------Playground for Negroes Soh. C. ------Sohool Center R.C. ------Reoreation Center S.P. ------Swimming Pool G.e. ------Golf Course 14

RECREATIO. FACILITIES Lou1sT111e, Xentu~ 193'7

!eci!:on PrIvate PiiD!!c Pi'!vaie eliest • Isslon R.U. P.G. G.C. scn.o. S.P •

Shawnee 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 *Fair- grounds 0 0 0 0 2-0 0 1 0 Portland 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 *Western 0 1 0 0 1 0 l-C 0

Parkland 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 *Korth Central 2 5 4 l-C 2-C 0 1 3 l-W *Central 1 2 2 0 1 0 1-0 2 l-W South Central 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 South L'ville 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 Beechmont 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 *Highland Park 0 0 0 1 l-C 0 0 0 l-W German- town 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Point 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Clifton 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Highlands 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 Crescent Hill 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 -9 8 T -:r 19 T rr 8 *Represents h1gh delinquency areas P • G. - Pla7ground G.C. - Golf Course S.P. - Swimming Sch. C. - School center Pool C denotes fac1l1ties for Colored Figures compl1ed trom map prepared by JUvenile eourt Project, 193'7. 15

by eight recreation facilities; five of which are private agencies, two are playgrounds, and one is a community center for Hagrees. What intensifies the situation is the fact that one area is predominat1ngly Begre, and is served by four of the eight facilities. These same areas are vice ridden. Bookies, houses of prostitution, beer jOints, low grade picture shows extend beckoning arms to the all too willing youth. As a counter-irritant to these vicious influences, Louisville offers the following:' Private Recreation Public Recreation AgencIes FacUities 1. Baptist Goodwill Center communitl Centers 2. Boy Scout Headquarters 3. Cabbage Patch Settle- 1. Highland Park Center ment 2. Thruston Square Center 4. calvary Point Community (Discontin.ad atter ~lood) Oenter 3. Oakdale Center 5. Girl Scout Headquarters 4. Shawnee Recreation Bldg. 6. Louisville Turners 5. Chestnut Street Center ,. "c~1n Council, Y.M.I. (tor Xegroes) 8. Heighborhood House 9. Rose Hudson Community PlaYgrounds 10. Wesley community House 11. Y.W.C.A. 6. Boone Square 12. Y.II.R.A. 7. Central Park 13. Y.M.O.A. 8. Elliot t Square 9. Portland Colored 10. Shelby Park - 11. Triangle Park 14. Boy Scout Headquarters 12. Tyler Park 15. Phyllis Wheatley - 13. Victory Y.W.v.A. 16. Plyaouth Settlement classes held in the follow­ House ing schools and libraries: 1'7. Presbyterian Colored Missions 27. Ahrens Trade

7. Bulletin WOe 11, Council of Social Agencies, 1937, Recreation and Camps. 16

Colored (cont.) Classes held in the toll owing schools and libraries: (Uoat.) 18. Downtown 19. 36th and Hale 28. Barret Jr. High 29. Belknap School Centers 30. Halleck Hall 31. Highland Jr. High 20. Charles D. Jacob 32. Eastern Jr. High 21. Parkland Jr. High 33. Ellen C. Semple 22. Shawnee High 34. duPont Manual (Athletics) 23. western Jr. High 35. Sou.them Jr. lI1gh (Athletics) Colored 36. George Rogers Clark ':>7. EDuaet Field 24. Jackson Jr. High 38. Highland Librar7 25. Madison Jr. High 39. Shelby Librar,- 26. Virginia Avenue 40. Jefferson Librar7 41. Portland Librar7 SWllller Camps 1. Camp Mount Merc7 6. Girl Scout Da7 Camp 2. Y.W.u.A. 7. Y.M.H.A. 3. B07 Scouts 8. Fresh Air Home 4. Camp tor Oolored Gtrls 9. B07 Scout (Colored Division) 5. Girl Scouts 10. Jennie uasseda7 Rest Cottage In 1937 the Recreation Division of the Department ot Public We1tare operated its program on a budget ot $48,554.03. The private Community Ohest agencies had a combined budget ot $173,064.00. It is hard to Jl8.ke a comparison between the two as the Recreation Division is a service division On17 and does not own any propert7, whereas the private agencies must pay for maintenance and operating eost ot their respective centers. According to the listings in the city directory tor 1937, there are 696 coamercia1 and private recrea­ tion agencies in Louisville. 272 Associations and Clubs 228 Lodges 43 Halls (Dance and recreation facilities) 32 Picture Shows 17

52 Societies 25 Pool Roams 11 Private Parks 8 ~braries (Private) 7 Golt Clubs 5 GymnaSlums (Other than school gymnasiums) 5 Bowllng Alleys 4 Theatres 1 Boat Dock In additlon to the above facllltles avallable for lelsure time activlties, ln the past few years the churChes ln Loulsvllle have attempted to include same for.m of recreatlon in their young peoplets program. Dramatic presentat1ons, swimming parties, bowling parties, hikes, p1cn1cs, all have been lncluded. The Catho1lc churches have turned a good portlon of their recreatlonal efforts toward the commercla1 by g1ving

·B~o· part1es. Enough revenue has been brought in

-. ~ to help bulld several churChes. Two interestlng recreat10nal developments in

Lou1sv1~le are the Otter Creek Reservation and the - Municipal OUtdoor Theatre, both of whiCh are expected - to be opened this year. The Otter Creek reservatlon wl11 make avallable camping fac11It1es on land acqu1red by the Federal Government and the C1ty and ~proved in the latest National Park manner. The Outdoor Theatre f11ls a long felt need for same facIlities for summer opera, pageants, folk dance fest1vals, and con- certs. The latter Is being constructed through a jOint committee of the C1ty and the W.P.A. It is planned to open the summer season w1th light opera on 18

We have been concerned up to now with private and public facilities without mention of the Federal influence on recreation. The W.P.A. and N.Y.A. have eontributed to the Recreation picture through their state wide programs. The set-up is as follows: "The Recreation Division is charged with the operation of those WPA projeets which provide communities with supervisors and leaders for conducting leisure time pro­ grams. The purpose of the Division is four-told: "a. To administer through the state offices, in cooperation With local agencies, projects tor the emplo,ment of relief persons as recreation leaders. "b. To give technical supervision through. a traveling s tatt and publications as aids to maintain standards of quality tor recrea­ tion programs. "c. To assist in organizing local training institutes to tit rec­ reation leaders tor permanent local emplo,ment. "d. To promote community organization for the purpose ot establis~g permanent public recreational a~encies. "Recreation activities are designed to: en­ courage individual and group creative expression; provide opportunities for edu­ cation and enjoyment; foster group living and cooperative action in a democracy; teach manual skills; ~prove health and human relations; reach all age groups throughout the year. tl8

8. Activities ot Federal Agencies in the Field of RecreatIon, i.P.A. illDleograph Report, Interdepart­ mentai Committee to Coordinate Health and Welfare Activities, 1937. 19

To carl"1 out this program there are in Louis­ ville forty-eight W.P.A. workers and three supervisors engaged in playground work, athletics, dramatics, orchestra, and crafts in private aDd public institu­ tions. The National Youth Administration, while not engaged in establishing or directly promoting recrea­ tional activities and facilities, gives valuable assistance to the program through activities of the

Project Division and the student aid w<.rk. The Pro­ ject Division administers through state offices projects for the part-time employment of needy youth as recreational assistants and in construction of recreational facilities in the communities, aDd assists in organizing local training institutes to tit recreational leaders tor permanent local programs.

The student aid activit~, through grants-in-aid to schools, enables them to set up recreational projects for part-time employment ot needy students. In Louisville the H.Y.A. has taken over an unused school building and is remodeling it tor a community center. All the worK done in preparation tor the opening ot the center is being done by H.Y.A. project workers. According to the N.Y.A., the recreation projects have been set up with the to11owing goals in mind:

p 20

a. Leadership development b. The development ot recreation appreciation c. The mental, moral, and physical benefit of the worker d. The discovery of latent abilities of the workers e. General vocational direction t. The sustained interest of the community A significant aspect of modern recreation is the trend away from the more simple pleasures to activities that require considerable outlay for facilities and play equipment. The forms ot recrea­ tion most popular now are those whiCh demand an out­ lay of money, aDd for this reason it has developed

in such an extensive manner only in a period where there was a capacity to meet a riSing tide of expen­ ditures. Jerome Davis in his capitalism and Its Culture gives us a picture ot this cost, quoting Mr. steiner as saying that in 1929 $10.000,000,000 was spent on recreation in the United states. But stuart Chase places the cost at a higher tigare, $21,000,000,000, including in his total tunds spent on motoring, flying, candy, tobacco, etc. Mr. Davis says that if society would spend even five per cent of this amount in con­ structive forms of wholesome and planned recreation, then we would have reasonably adequate facilities for play in the United States. The picture Mr. Davis gives

us of our ~capitalistic~ set~up in recreation is not

p 21

pretty, but it is revealing. The picture of our comaercial recreation in contrast to non-camaercial activities tends to build up ·mal-creation~ rather than real recreation. In an attempt to show the ...... real recreation or positive side of the recreation in Louisville, the next few sections will give the background of the local recreation movement. II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND )TOTE

Many excellent histories ot Louisville bave been written. Fram them, and trom old newspaper files, I have attempted to cull those parts which describe the recreational activ1ties or relate indirectly to the amusements of the people who settled the town at the Palls and bu1lt the great city ot Louisville. In selecting these I have tried to .keep in mind that only those excerpts should be ineluded which throw light upon the character ot the people and their means ot enjoying life. A great deal more might

have been added, but space, and the object of this theSis, have prevented my extending it to greater lengths •

.. 22

II. HISTORICAL BACKGROUID

Every elementary school boy and girl, diligently pouring over thumb-marked history books, knows tbat the Indians called Kentucky "The Happy Hunting Ground.· They know too that many years before Louisville was settled there were no wigwams in this section, and that maize, that invaluable crop ot the Red Men, did not grow in Kentucky. Its absence was due not to the tact that the soil was not fertile; it was due to the fact that the Indians felt that KentucJ[y should not be cluttered up with corn stalks. Kentucky to them was the "Great ParK." According to Rueben T. Durrett: "It was such a parK as no civilized nation has ever set aside for angling and the cha se • From the rugged mountains tba t walled it on the East, to the mighty Mississippi and the lovely Ohio, which bound it on the West, and North, there was a succession of lovely plains and gentle hills and smiling valleys and dark forests and sunny canebrakes in which game of every kind abounded. There were herds of buftalo, of deer, and flocJ[s of turKeys on the hUls •• and in the rivers and streams winding through every part of the land there were shoals ot fish that it seemed could never be exhausted."9 Here, we are told, was a parJ[ dedicated to the various Indian tribes, set aside for hunting and

9. Durrett,'Reuben T., "The oentenary ot Louisville,· reprinted in ~ollected Writinti Related to the H1storz of LouIsVille, Loulsv Ie Free PUblIc tlorary, 1939, pp. a7-8B. 23

tishing, where no human habitation desecrated this common right to the torest and the streams. Such was the condition ot the country known as Kentucq when the tirst settlers ot Louisville came to the Palls or the Ohio. The Indians were revelling in their playground. They knew how to get the most enjoyment out ot their leisure time. They knew how to combine their recreation with their quest tor a liveli­ hood; they tound complete enjoyment in many ot the sports which we ot the modern age are prone to think ot as our exclusive privilege. They rode, they tished, they hunted. They were leading the outdoor lite years before the White Man thought of recreation as a means to better living. But these Indians did not long enjoy the tree­ dom ot their undisturbed "Happy HUnting Ground." These tirst inhabitants ot the "Great Park," these natural play leaders, these occupants of the primeval virg~ playground ot the continent, were soon to be driven out by the settlers who wanted to enjoy tor themselves the beauties and the bounties ot Kentucky. History tells us that when General George Rogers Clark, in the spring ot 1778, set out upon his expedition against the British garrisons in the Illinois territory, SaBe twenty tamilies assembled at Redstone

tor the purpose'ot emigrating to Kentu~ky. These families, accompanied by a tew soldiers came to the Palls and landed on Corn Island, May 27, 1778. They were the first settlers of Louisville. Although these first Louisvillians did not live on the mainland but on corn Island, they soon felt that to protect themselves and their families trom the attac~s of Indians they should ereut some kind of torti­ tication. As a result long rows ot log cabins joined together around an inner court were constructed at what is now Tweltth and River streets, and this group ot houses was called a fort. The settlement was ready tor occupancy in time tor Christmas, and many of the families who had been cooped up on the island since

the preceding spring were glad for a chance to ~stretch

their legs~ and move into the fort-like structure. The first Christmas in Louisville was celebrated in the way in which the settlers had been accustomed to observe it baCK in their old homes. A teast and a dance were customary. The feast was easy to arrange, but the dance presented a more difficult problem. There was rhythm in the feet ot the pioneer boys and girls, even though its expression was handicapped by rough brogans; there were joy and laughter in the hearts of these trail-blazers, but there seemed to be no visible means ot procuring the music with which to satisfy their longing. But the settlers had their dance, and an account ot it given by Mr. Durrett brings into light 25

a quaint old character, Uncle Cato, the Begro fiddler who traded twelve coon skins to a FreBCDman for three fiddle strings. His idea was to surprise the "White Folks" by fiddling a merry tune When dinner was over and their appetites tor the dance unsatistied. How the Frencbman stepped in and stole the limelight makes a very interesting story. Aside trom the vivid descrip­ tion, the account shows very definitely that human

na ture has not changed in the se one hundred and sixty years. Any modern recreational leader who has attempted to put across a new dance has seen her plans go awry just as Monsieur's did when he began explaining the intricate tigures of the Branle and the Pavane. Every playground worker has felt at times as the Frenchman did that perhaps the potential enjoyment of the partici- pants was not worth all the trouble and the energy and the persistence necessary to carry to successtul com­ pletion the task which he had set out to perform. The account ot the entertainment at this first Christmas party, then, is not only interesting trom the standpoint ot an historical account ot the recreational activities of the tirst settlers, but more especially because it demonstrates that even in the early days play directors were confronted with problems ot disci­ pline in games and dances. The Frenchman was well versed in the tashionable musiC and the delicate patterns of the dances ot his

p 26

native land. He did not know, however, what these pioneers wanted in the way of entertainment. He was woefully ignorant of what was 'suited to the frontier settlement in this new country. Perhaps the recreational workers who read this sketch will laugh when they picture themselves attempt­ ing to get across to their charges, some of them as foreign in their attitudes as the pioneers who cele­ brated the first Christmas in LouisVille, the same type of recreational activity that the Frenchman advanced. "First he tried what was known in those days' as the iranle. He arranged the dancers in a circle around the roam with haDds jOined, and showed them how to leap in circles and keep one another in constant motlon. After giving, as he thought, sufficient instruutions to insure suc- cess, he took his place at one side of the room, and began to play and direct the dance. But the dancers would not or could not follow the promptings. They got out of t!me and. out of figure too, and some of the boys instead of leaping in circles showed their agility in leap frog over one another's heads. The Frenchman was disgusted and resolved to try another figure. "He advanced to the center, and after descanting upon the grace and beauty of the minuet, arranged the parties for tha t dance. He showed them how to make long and graceful bow, how to balance, and how to glide forward. Then taking his position at the side of the room again, he began to play the minuet and direct the figure. But the dancers again either could not or would not obey orders. Instead ot gliding they would hop across the floor, and when 2'7

they came to the bow instead of drawing it out to a graceful length as indicated by the strain of muSiC, they bobbed their heads up aDd down in quick succession, 11ke geese dodging a shower ot stones. Monsieur was again disgusted, but SUIB­ moned enough of the courage of despair to make another effort.

~He next introduced the pavane, aDd ex­ plained that the principle merit of this dance consisted in strutting l1ke peacocks. He instanced Margaret of ValOiS, and other distinguished French ladies who had made great fame in this dance by strutting like peacocks. "When he had arranged them on the floor and showed them how to strut, he took his place and began the music. A scene soon followed which surpassed the two previous ones in ridiculousness. As the boys strutted past the girls, the girls laughed at them, and as the girls caught their skirts with their bands on each side and strutted by the boys, the boys would imitate the peculiar cry ot the peacoc~ until the whole scene was confuSion confounded. Monsieur was disgusted beyond endurance. Al though he spoke very fair English when at ~self, he now lost the en­ tire use of that tongue, and in his rage and despair rattled away in French, like an empty wagon over a rough pavement. He planted his back against the wall after the first ebullition at passion had subsided, and there stood, with his fiddle under his arm and his bow in his hand a grim, pale statue of despair. "16 Those of you who are 1nterested in conclusions may be happy to learn that Uncle cato, wbose crestfallen, wizened countenance was the only dark spot 1n the whole

10. Durrett, R. T., "Southern Bivouac," 1884, reprinted in Collected writinfs Related to the History of Louisville, LoUlsVl 1e Library Collections, HIstory !erles, Vol. I, 1935, pp. 103-104. 28

celebration, came torward at the opportune time and saved the day by fiddling "TUrkey in the Straw" for the happy revellers to dance the Virginia Reel. This first Christmas party in Louisville was the forerunner ot many "play parties" of pioneer days, and showed the character ot the men and women who blazed new paths through the wilderness. They were a happy group ot settlers and no amount ot hardships or disappointments could prevent their enjoying to the full such entertainment as they were able to create for themselves. From the tort at Tweltth and River grew the great city ot Louisville. General Clark as early as 1779 made a map of the new tOlfll at the Falls, and while the streets were neither numbered nor named, we bOW that he laid out Ma1n, Market, and Jefterson, crossed by streets ranging from Pirst to Twelfth, "with all the territory systematically div1ded into public lots and private" •••• "all the ground between Main

Street and the river, and two whole squares where the Court House now stands and a strip south ot the Jefter­ son Street lots, halt a square w1de extending the whole length ot the town •••• "ll was marked pub11c. How unfortunate it is for the present generat10n that the plan was not adopted and adhered to by the City Fathers. Louisville would have been one ot the

11. Durrett, R. T., Southern .a~Z1ne, 1890, reprinted in Louisv1lle L10rary coiie~lons, Vol. I, OPe c1t., p. 83. 29

most attractive cities on the continent had it possessed these public grounds or parks adorned with the original torest trees. In add1t1on 1t would have scattered 1ta resident1al district and w1dened the housing area early in its history, thus preventing the overcrowded condi­ tion ot the homes ot the poorer classes which are now located where these public grounds were originall,. 12 planned.

12. "The original plan ot Louisville, as well as the act establishing the town, provided tor public lots, and but tor a great neglect ot the Trustees we should now have parKS in which the noble trees ot the original torest would be preserved, and in which the pure a1r could be breathed by our citizens. As the city atter its incorporation in 1~80 was laid out, a strip ot land between Green and Walnut streets one hundred and eighty teet wide, and ex­ tending trom Ployd Street on the east to 12th Street on the west, where it connected with another large bod,. ot land ot a triangular shape bounded on the north b,. Gra,.son, on the east b,. TWeltth, streets lots, and on the west b,. the old town line, were to have been public property. While the Trustees had not adopted General Clark's suggestion to hold the lands north ot Kain St. tor public property, they had not sold these lots as they had others, and this tine river tront yet belonged to the city. What a noble system ot intramural parKS these lands would have made with the original torest trees upon them. Early in Ma,., 1~86, however, the Trustees passed a resolution tor the sale ot these public lands. This may not have been their own tree choice, tor volonel John campbell was pressing them without mercy tor the sale ~ lots to pay his mortgage against the Connolly land. After betting about 450 pounds tor this mortgage, he bought in another debt ot about 600 pounds which he claimed the renegade McKee owed him, and the Leg. ot Va. allowed him to collect it trom the sale of Louisville lots. There seemed to be nothing tor the trustees to do, therefore, but to sell lots to pay Campbell with what they brought. The whole Oonnoll,. tract ot one thousand acres had been laid ott into three hundred halt-acre lots and ~ent,. tive-acre lots and a dozen or more tractional lots. All were sold 30

The City Fathers, however, did not see fit to follow the map designed by Clar.K:. Louisville was first laid out in 1789 by William Pope. A subsequent survey was made by William Peyton, assisted by Daniel Sullivan, who went so far as to plot out tbe lots. It has been said that the two great faults in the plan for Louis­ ville were the lacx ot alleys and the total disregard for including public squares. "The total want of public squares, is an evil of much more serious cost, and one which promised hereafter to furnish fUll employment to the sons of Esculapius and their suite. Rapidly as the town augments its population, a few years will find every foot of ground within its precincts covered with houses, tar.m­ ins ramparts that will xeep out that ministering angel ot health, a pure and circulating atmosphere and keep within, the demon ot contagion, who draws his very existence from the toul and pesti­ lent airs of a pent-up city."13 The citizens of early Louisville, however, had not completely abandoned the idea of a public park of some kind, even though they had failed to be tar sighted enough to include provision tor it when they laid out the city. Like many present day planners they were very argumentative and a great controversy arose over

betore the close ot the year 1786 at public auction, except the graveyard on Jetterson between 11th and 12th and the court house square on Jett. bet. 5th and 6th. It all brought about 1,000 pounds, which would equal about $3,333."* *.Durrett, Rueben T., "The centenary of Louisville," (1880) reprinted in The Filson Club Proceedings, J. P. Morton Co., 1893, pp. 96-§8. 13. McMUrtrie, H., 1819, in LouisYille Library collec­ tions, 1935, OPe cit., p. 2b. 31

the location of Louisville's first public park. About 1830 someone suggested it be in Jacob's Woods, located at what is now First and Broadwa~. However, Preston Woods, which was that area beginning at what is now Broadway and Underhill and extending east through the Highlands, was advocated as a rival site for Louisville's first par~. After much arguing and dela~s of one kind and another, the Preston site was selected. According to an acconnt in the Herald Post of January 9, 1927:14

"Those woods had another d1stin~tion, not quite so pretty. Far within its precincts was located the -gallows' tree, from which a number of men who had done murder were swung into eternity. Impromptu affairs, some of these hangings, and usu.ally attended by as many of the populace as could coae. The exec~tion of the itin­ erant Begro preacher, caution, by name if not by nature, seems to have been the most notable of the hangings there. Man~ years ago progress took its ax in hand and leveled Igallows tree.'"

What the earl~ eitizens lac~ed in public parks, they made up for in ponds scattered throughout the eity. There were so many of these in fact that one wonders where the early builders found SUfficient dry land on which to ereet their houses. These ponds gave Louis­ ville a very damp and malarial climate, and diseases caused from this dampness were very common. Two of the ponds are worth special mention. The more important of them was loeated at Sixth and ------14. TarVin, A.H., The Herald Pos~, January 9, 1927. 32

.ar~et streets and extended to Sixteenth. It was appro­ priately called Long Pond, for it was ten blocks in length and nearly half as wide. This lake was the scene of many a merry party, particularly in winter when it was frozen over to a glassy slickness and skaters glided gracefully or cavorted grotesquely on its surface. Early Sketches, showing improvised sleds made of kitchen chairs being propelled by the gallant swains of the day while their ladies sat enthroned, are of unusual interest. Grayson's Pond, beginning at Sixth and Center Streets and extending well past the present location of the Jefferson County Armory, had perhaps the most fascinating history. In 1785 William Shannon acquired a plot of five acres which included a beautiful lake, at least two burying grounds, and a forest of orchard trees. He sold it to Samuel Kirby in the same year for $183.30, who eventually sold it to John Gwalthmey. The house which stands today on the west side of Sixth Street north of Walnut, immediately north of the old Scottish Rite Cathedral and oppos1te the Armory, was built in 1810 by Mr. Gwalthmey of brick imported from the East. Six years later David L. Ward purchased the house and land, including the beaut1fUl lake, and presented them to his daughter, Sal11e Ward Downes, noted Kentucky 33

beauty, on the occasion of her marriage to Frederick •• Grayson. Old newspaper accounts tell us that this was a very popular place for the idle and the meditative.

It was also the scene of ~y of the baptisms performed in the l800's,for the natural Shape of the banks pro­ vided an excellent place tor those who wished to observe the ceremonies. Beating in summer and skating in winter were indulged in to a great extent, and when Mr. Grayson, exercising his prerogative as lord and master ot the house, began to till in the lake with earth procured trom the numerous mounds around the edges, the citizens set up a loud wail, but to no avail. Louisville's tirst private park was no more. In 1840 Louisville had grown in population until it deserved the name ot a small city. She had two rivals, however, Portland and Shippingport. portland, just below, the Falls, was monopolizing the great river trade; palatial steamers came and went in endless procession up and down the Ohio, like magnificent parts ot a gay parade. Shippingport was also a gay and prosperous town and the home ot most ot the great river kings. Their open-houses and lavish entertataments were known all along the Ohio. An interesting account ot the performance ot a home town orchestra shows the tenor ot one phase ot recreational activity ot that day. "About this time several young fellows organized a small orchestra that played for dances, picnics and theatrical per­ formances. The tather ot the late Charles Grainger was one of them. The father of the late Colonel Will Hays was another. One memorable week the elder Booth played Hamlet in Louisville and the orchestra was engaged to furnish the music. The stage manager instructed them with regard to their cues and was particular in impressing upon them that when Ophelia was buried and Booth sprang into her grave the band must play some­ thing appropriate for a lovely young girl. "That evening Booth outshone himselt and when the body ot the fair Ophelia was brought 1n and he began 'I loved Ophelia.' etc., the amateur orchestra struck up merrily, 'Oh, Lor, Gals, Don't you Want To Go To Shippingport?' There was an explosion of laughter allover the house and the amateur musicians were saved from sudden death at the hands of the enraged tragedian by t1mely flight. Booth never acted again in Louisville."15

The general type of people who lived in early 16 Louisville is described by H. B. Fearson: "I do not feel myselt competent to confirm or deny the general claim ot the Kentuckians to generosity and warmth of character, ot their habits. I would wish to speak with equal diffidence that they drink a great deal, swear a great deal, and gamble a great deal. "The barbarian practice of • gouging' with which they are charged, I have not seen occur though I have good reason to believe in its existence. They have also another practice, nearly akin to this called

15. nIn Old Shippingport," Herald Post, Jan. 10, 1927. 16. Fearson, H. B., "Sketches of America, A Narrative ot a Journey through the Eastern and Western States of America," 1818, reprinted in Louisvill~ Libra~ Collections, OPe cit., pp. 137-139. 35

'gander pulling.' This diversion consists in tying a live gander to a tree or pole, greasing its neck, riding past it at full gallop, and he who suuceeds in pulling off the head or the victim, receives the laurel crown. I think I bave heard of a similar practice in Holland, but these are not to be taken as mixed Characteris­ tics. "The life of boarders at an American tavern presents the most senseless and comfortless mode of killing time which I have ever seen. Every house of this description that I have been in is thronged to excess, and there is not a man who appears to have a single earthly object in View, except spitting and smoking segars. I have not seen a book in the hands of any person since I left Philadelphia. Objection­ able as these habits are, they afford decided evidence of the prosperity of that country, which can adndt so large a body of its citizens to waste in indolence three-fourths of their lives, and would also appear to hold out en­ couragement to Englishmen with English habits, who could retain their industry amid a nation of indolence, and have sufficient firmness to live in America and yet bid defiance to the deadly example of its natives." If the above accoupt does nothing else, it serves to give us a picture, how characteristic of the entire state I do not know, of the manner in which the citizens spent their leisure time. Still another picture, in direct contrast, has been painted by Dr. H. KcMurtrie: Be says that "The theatre, public and private halls, a sober game of whist, or the more scientific one of billiards, with an occasional re­ union of friends around the festive board, constitute 36

the principal amusements; and it is with pleasure I am able to assert without fear of contradiction, that gaming forms no part of them. Whatever JU.y have been the case formerly there is bardly, at the present day, a vestige to be seen of this ridiculous and disgrace­ tul practiue, and if it exists at all, it is only to be found in the secret dens of mldnigh t swindlers, within whose walls once to enter is dishonor, infamy,

and ruin. tt17 Jefferson street was one of the leading streets or the early nineteenth century, for here was located not only the first theatre but also the first race course. The theatre was known as The City Theatre and was owned by a man. named Tyler. Its exact location was between Third and Fourth on Jefferson, and although at first it was a barn-like structure, in 1818 it under­ went considerable alterations and was fitted up in good taste. It is described as a handsome brick structure of three stories, the inside of which was divided into I a pit, two tiers of boxes, and a gallery uapable of seating in all about 800 persons. Added attractions were a retiring room for the ladies and one containing refreshments for the compan,.. in general. According to

17. McMurtrie, H., 1819, in Collected writ1n~S Relating to the History of LouisvII!e, 1935, p. 9 I.

"' 37

Oral S. Cca d and Edwin M1ms, Jr., this theatre was closed in 1829, and theatrical companies seeking a place to perform in Louisville were sent to a make­ shift affair, "a cattle shed or stable that bad been appropriated and covered with some old canvas, supported by scaffolds, poles, to torm a roof, and rough seats on an ascent to the baCk, and capable of holding aboat

200 persons, constituted the audience part of the estab­ lishment, the lower benches nearest the stage being deSignated by the name of boxes and the upper nearest the ceiling, the Pit.,,18 It is interesting to know that Louisville very early was interested in amateur theatricals. Lexington, which was known as a cultural center ot the new country west ot the Alleghenies, antedated Louisville by ten years in the organ1zation of an amateur dramatic organi­ zation. In 1808 a drama institute was formed by certain cit1zens in Louisnlle, and amateur performances given tar a number of years under its auspices. These con­ t1nued even after the arr1val of the professionals. As ear11' as 1781 John Harrison brought trom Virginia a race horse which ran over the course along Jefferson street and ••••• " •••• the horse ran until he beat all ten scrubs matched against him and won all the money. ,,19 18. coad, Oral Sumner, and .1ms, Edwin, Jr., The Pageant ot America, "The American Stage," Yale university Press, Vol. 14, 1929, p. 125. 19. Durrett, Reuben T., The Century ot Kentucky," Filson Club Proceedings, 1892, in Louisville Library cOIiec: t1ona, Vol. I., History Series Collected • RelAting to the H1storz ot Lou!S.!11!, It~~~1~:nf80. 38

On Jefferson street too was located what by some is called the first park, although historians seem to differ tn their opinions, some clatming that Preston Woods, described earlier in this thesis, has the better claim to the title. Baxter Parx was located on West Jefferson street between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets, accessible by both the Green Street (now Liberty) and the Jefferson Street car lines. It is still used as a public playground. A description of Baxter Park, appearing in the Herald Post of January 31, 1911, gives us the informa­ tion that this was the heart of the residential dis- trict of the day-

nBaxter Park was primarily a ~emetar7 where many soldiers and civilians who were in­ strumental tn building up greater Louis­ ville were buried. About 1880, however, Baxter Park was purchased by the City authorities and was converted into a public park, with the added beautifica­ tion of twelve deer, which were donated by E. H. duPont, and were turned loose to graze in the first breathing spot of Louisville then located in the heart of the residence district. H20

one of the interesting accounts of early rec­ reational activities tells of the first band concerts rendered every Wednesday night in the Jefferson Street grounds, later supplanted by Bible lectures every Sunday afternoon. ThUS, so it is' said, during the early

20. The Herald Post, January 31, 1911. 39

history or the park arrangement or the city, the authori­ ties indicated a desire to eater to the wishes or the public by providing interesting and instructive enter­ ta1Dment ror the leisure hours or those privileged to enjoy the rirst city park. Baxter Square felt the force of the cyclone of 1890 as it broke with all its fury in the vicinity of this park. Numerous forest trees that had beautified the square were completely destroyed by the cyclonic WindS, and st. John's Ohurch, at Twelfth and Jefferson, was completely demolished. Since this cnarch had formerly furnished the organ used in the Sunday Bible services, this diversion had to be eliminated trom the program ot events. About 1851 the city or Louisville bought eighty-two and a half acres ot ground ror $10,000. This ground was bounded by D·· and K streets and Third and Brook Streets and was intended for park purposes. However, in 1860, when a place was needed tor a House ot Refuge, the city conveyed this property to that in­ stitution, reserving torty acres tor park purposes. This land is the present site ot Belknap Campus. Accord­

ing to 001. Durrett, i~ a talk given for the Filson Club, he says: "If this eighty-two and one half acres had been made into a public park according to the original intention it would have been 40

a very good beginning in that direction. Instead, however, of its becoming a place tor the dwellers in the city to breathe pure air and sport among shady trees, it became a kind of prison to keep the bad boys and girls ot the city out ot mischiet." When Charles D. Jacob became Mayor of LouiSVille, one ot his first moves was to purchase the immense tract in the Southern Knobs, now known as Iroquois or Jacob's Park. 'l'he deal for the purchase of this land was con­ summated the year ot the cyclone, but little damage was done to its trees. 'l'he cyclone practically devastated another park, Floral Park, located on a private estate near Seventh and ormsby Avenues. 'l'his park was con­ sidered "the place" for picnic parties, and its owner made a great deal of money leasing it tor amusement

purposes. 'l'be ~yclone is said to have helped in the development of the public parks, for after it had vent its wrath, there was no more Floral ParK and the citi­ zens were forced to use the public parks for picnic and amusement purposes.

An interesting account of the park system ot Louisville has been given us by Fanny Copley Seavey, who in 1897 described the beauties of these recreational centers in Park and Cemetery. "'l'he three pr1Dblpal parks ot Louisville, Kentucky, are named Iroquoise, Cherokee, and Shawnee - happily selected nomen­ clature that is poetic, suggestive and appropriate, for that enhanced wilderness 41

Kentucky, was the chosen hunting ground of the red men, and so beautitul that it may well have typified to their poetic but untutored minds the 'happy hunting grounds' of the Indian hereafter. "Bot only are the names well selected, but they are fittingly applied, for the 306 acres of lovely hill, dale, and sylvan shade, christened Chero~ee, tairly represents the leading charac­ teristics of the beautiful country on the upper Tennessee River and its branches that the agriculturally inclined uherokees chose for their own; while the bold wooded knob, the outpost ot those that here skirt the southern side of the valley of the OhiO, that dominates the 550 acres known as Iro­ quois aptly stands for the 'warlike and powerful' tribe which more than two hundred years ago made life a burden to the peaceful Shawnees whose numerous villages tenanted the shores of the Ohio, then and long afterward known as the Wabash. And thus the name Shawnee is equally fitting for the remaining park of 167 acres lying directly on the south bank of that stream, views of the river and of the Indiana knobs across it constituting its chief attrac­ tion." 21 At the turn of the century the chief recreational activity of the masses in Louisville was bicycling, with riding as a close second. Hundreds of cyclists, appro­ priately arrayed in ·togs especially designed for the sport, could be seen peddling their way out Third Street to Southern Par~ay where the Iroquois Driving and Cycling Club had erected an ornate and convenient club­ house. This Club was composed of those who "drive for

21. Seavey, Fanny Copley, Park and oemeter , Chicago, April, 1897, in Louisv111e Library Colt ections, OPe cit., p. 248. 42

recreation in their private vehicles and those who ride a bicycle." The building still stands, a quaint struc­ ture in this modern day, with its two wooden towers and its double-decker screened porch. Those hundreds of cyclists would return at dusk, their red and green lights making them look like a swarm of firetlies descending upon the City. The tandem, and even the "bicycle built for three," could frequently be seen, and no more popular song has ever been composed than the one inspired by the cyclist who wrote:

"Daisy, Daisy, g1 ve me your answer true, I'm half crazy, all for the love ot you It won't be a stylish marriage; We can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet Upon the seat ot a bicycle built for two." There was also the Fontaine Ferry Cycle AthletiC Club located in the vicinity of Shawnee Parx, which is said to have been one of the finest bicycle tracks in the United States. In 1895 it was estimated that

15,000 people in Louisville were using bicycles. The importance of Louisville as a cycle center is shawn by the tact that the League of American Wbeelmen held its annual meeting in the city_ An organization known as the Athletic Club, tormed in 1888 of young men whose primary purpose was the cultivation of the manly sports and the promotion of healthy exercise and physical culture, was a valuable 4'

contribution to the recreational life ot the citizens.

Its "handsome and ornate building in shingle" was located at Fitth street near St. catherine, and con­ sisted of a large, well lighted and well ventilated gymnasium, with all the latest appliances for muscular development and also bath, lavatory, and storage rooms. This gymnasium was used tor balls. one ot the most interesting articles on this subject tells of the Professor ot Athletics, employed by the Club for the purpose of instructing its members in boxing, running, leaping, and other athletic sports. The Riding Club, an association of ladies and gentlemen who practiced horseback riding, was organized with General John B. uastleman as president. This club held its meetings in a house at the rear of the Audi­ torium on Fifth and "Aft Streets. Tallyho parties were also interesting forms of recreation. These were particularly popular for Sunday afternoon diversion, and nothing more br~lliant has been seen in Louisville than the red-coated drivers with their dozen or more occupants mounted on the high open carriage, Singing through the oity streets and around the tree-lined park boulevards.

Later came the craze for roller s~ating. This was begun by the uhildren but rapidly taken up by the older citizens. It was all one's life was worth to 45

stroll on the sidewalks in certain areas when the skaters were in full swing. No swarm of devastating cricKets ever bore down upon an unsuspecting crop of wheat with more diabolical vengeance than these skaters descended upon the populace. So dangerous did they become that a city ordinance was passed to prevent their monopoliz­ ing the walks. To alleviate the situation and give the children some place to vent their energies, the ArmOr,f was opened on certain days each week tor skating. Later SKating rinks were built especially tor this sport, notable among them being the one at Phoenix Hill in the Highlands, and Fontaine Ferry Park, adjacent to Shawnee. The "craze" subsided a tew years atter its beginning, but has been revived period1cally, particularly in the s~1ng ot the year. At the time ot writ1ng this, a new rink is planned tor Fourth Street on the lot next to the one occup1ed by the Columb1a Hall. The latter part of the nineteenth century was characterized by the organization ot numerous clubs. These, with a short description, are: The Jockel Club, 1876 This Club was established on ground leased trom the Churchill brothers, and consisted ot a grand stand, stables, paddock, and modest club house, which later became the residence 46

of the president, Colonel M. Lewis Clark. It was reorganized in 1895 as the Bew Louisville JOCkey Club and new brick grand stands were added. The Pendennis Club, 1881 This club was modeled after the KentucKy Club which for some years after the War Between the

states had its headq~arters in the Anderson mansion on Jetferson street between Fourth and Fitth. The Pendennis Glub's first location was at Pirst and Walnut, and later the commodious quarters on Walnut opposite old Macauley's Thea tre. The house was owned by Abram Hunt, who moved in far one week and then decided to go to Europe. Mr. William Belknap bought it and the Ulub procured it from him. Later it was moved to its present luxurious quarters on Walnut between Second and Third. Standard Club, 1882 This was an organization of Jewish families. Filson Club, 1884

This olub, which met in the home of its founder, Colonel R. T. Durrett, was organized for the purpose ot collecting, preserving, and publish­ ing matters relating to the early history of I:entucky. 4'1

Commercial Club, 1887 The purpose of this organization was "to pro­ mote the commercial interests and general welfare of the City of Louisville." Kenton Club, 1888 This was the outgrowth of the University Club, an organization which met in the Fonda Building on Fourth street between Walnut and Chestnut. The University Club was forced to dissolve it­ self because of lack of finances and the members then formed the Kenton Club. It was purel,. social in character. Watterson club, 1892 As the name might imply, this was a political club, a Democratic Club. Its life was short and it closed its doors because of finances. There was also another political club about this time known as the Garfield Club. It too was short lived. Louisville Driving and Fair Association, 1895 The organizers of this Club had great hopes for its future. They purchased an attractive strip of land on the main stem of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and planned to open a trotting race track in time for the G.A.R. en­ campment. However, too many other attractions competed and the Association had to give up. other clubs that tlourished in the "Gay Ninties" were the Salmagundi Olub with a membership limited to twenty-tour; the Oonversation Club, the Monday Afternoon Olub, the Woman's Club, the Engineers and Architects Club, the Louisville Boat Glub, the Louisville Baseball Club, the Louisville Fish and Game Club, the Kentucky Gun Club, the Chess Club, "where the knightly game is the object ot special study," and the Polytechnic Society, a literary institution which was the fore­ runner ot the Public Library. The Society owned the building on Fourth between Green and Walnut, the site ot Kaufman Straus and Company, and the building erected on it contained a large lecture hall, used as a theatre, a museum, art gallery of paintings and sculpture, and a l1brary of 50,000 volumes.22 Since the Galt House was the scene of most ot the gay parties of the early nineteenth century, some­ thing of its history seems to be pertinent here. This famous hostelry was built in 1835 upon ground occupied for many years by the residence of Dr. W. C. Galt at the northeast corner of Second and Main Streets. It was opposite Wash1ngton Hall, a well known tavern under the management ot Major Aris Throcgmorton and Isaac Everett. Here it was that Sallie Ward Downes,

22. Johnson, J. Stoddard, Memorial HistorI or Louis­ ville, Vol. II, Chicago, AmerIcan Biographical Publishing Co., 1896, pp. 323-326. 49

famed KentucKY beauty, made history by riding her mare through the lobby to the consternation of the idlers.

This structure burned in 1865 and the DeW Galt House was built one block east. The early patrons of the Galt House were at­ tracted there partly by the tact that it contained the finest billiard room in the state. However, through the efforts of a moralist bent on wiping out all forms of amusement, the Legislature place such a high tax on billiard tables that the owners ot the hotel were forced to abandon the room. The Galt House bar was noted throughout the section and its mint juleps were sought by every traveller to this city. This bar room was the scene of a major tragedy when two men, bystanders who witnessed a quarrel between a prospective bridegroom and his tailor, were acci­ dently killed in a tight which ensued over the whisky glasses. Because of the notoriety following, the authorities were torced to close the bar, but history tells us they reopened it a little later in another part of the building.23 Up to the outbreak ot the War Between the States, the Galt House was the scene ot many tine re­ ceptions and balls. Its walls resounded with gaiety;

23. ~~~------~--- -~---~ ---- 50

the social element or Louisville found it the popular place for all their lavish entertainments. With the outbreak of the War, however, and the consequent fall­ ing off of southern patrons, the famous hostelry went into a gradual decline, revived only when the G.A.R. Encampment brought to Louisville scores of Northern soldiers. This Encampment, in 1895, was the first meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic South of the Ohio River. It is described as "the genuine shaking hands between the two sections, and the obliteration of the bloody chasm across which that function had so long been performed.n24 A great deal of preparation had been made to insure its success; Henry Watterson had made speeches as far east as Pittsburgh in an effort to procure the meeting for Louisville. The gaiety of the parades was dispelled by an accident which occurred at Fourth and Broadway. While a section of Battery A of the Louisville Legion was on its way to fire a national salute of forty-four guns, a caisson exploded killing four members of the BatterY' and the driver. But even the elaborate tuDaral could not com- pletely dispel the gaiety of the occasion. "It was a gala week from beginning to end. The days were taken up with parades and meetings of various kinds, and the nights with campfires, dog watches, and various • 24. Johnston, Stoddard, Memorial History of LouisVille, Vol. I, Chicago, AmerIcan Biographical Publlshirig Company, 1896, p. 122. 51

suitable entertainments, the ill~na­ tion of the streets attracting great crowds. "on Saturday the great event was a bar­ becue in Wilder Park, which was attended by more than 100,000 visitors. It was a Kentucky display which interested the strangers more than any other of the week. HUndreds of beeves, sheep, and pigs were roasted whole on the spot and served with many thousands of gallons of 'burgoo t - a soup peculiar to Ken­ tucky, everything being free. Notwith- s tanding the great crowds from morning til night, there was ample for all and not a single instance of disorder."25 This sketch would be incomplete without some mention of the Southern EXposition held under the management of Major J. M. Wright in 1883. The site of the Exposition was the grounds on the west side of Fourth Street south of Weissinger Avenue. Included in this tract were forty acres, part of which was what we now know as Oentral Park. The cost of the Exposi­ tion, including the various frame structures, carriage, saw mill, and boiler annexes, art galleries, pavilion, and restaurant, was approximately $300,000.00. only the fountain in st. James Court remains to remind us of this stupendous undertaking. During the eighty­ eight exhibition days, it is estimated that 110,048 persons attended. The most striking exhibition was the lighting of the grounds by electric lights, then of very recent introduction. , 25. Johnston, Stoddard, OPe cit., p. 120.

'- 52

"The display was far in advance of anything seen up to that time, there being 4,800 Edison incandescent light~ • ••••• The display of textile machinery was particularly fine, while the art gallery, filled chiefly with the paint­ ings from the private galleries of Eastern connoisseurs, was the most valuable loan exhibition in the West."26

---.. -~--- .. --... -- The ponds that played such an important part in the early recreational life of Louisville have long since been filled in to form our down-town business streets. The race course on Jefferson is a thing of the past, and in the minds of those who speed out Third street to watch the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, a figment of the imagination. The Galt House was razed years ago, its former grandeur faded like the features of a once lovely lady who, seeing her youth and prestige slipping, was powerless to prevent the inroads of old age. The old Bicycle Club on Southern ParKWay stands today, a shabby reminder of the Gibson Girl era. No more do the red and green lights of the bicycles flicker like swarms of magic fireflies. Now and then one may catch a glimpse of a boy or girl on a wheel, darting in and out between the fast moving automobiles, but one must look into the past to see bicycling at its height. A few frame

26. Johnston, Stoddard, OPe cit., p. 130 53

structures that were the athletic clubs of yesterday still stand, and the fountain in st. James Court splashes away in the tree enclosed plot, reminding us of the days of the Louisville EXposition. Louisville's history as it relates to the amuse­ ments and the recreational activities of its people is fascinating, and forms a variegated backdrop against which we may place the "props" ot our modern play, and before which the actors in the great recreation move­ ment may act out their drama - today and tomorrow. III. PUBLIC RECREATIOB

... NOTE

From the minute books and the personal notes ot the people who were most influential in bringing about the play movement in Louis­ ville, and trom the available material in the Recreation Department, the Community Chest, and the Council ot Social Agencies, these facts have been gleaned. Their purpose is to give a running story ot the activities which have gone into the inception and the growth ot recreation in Louisville. 54

III. PUBLIC RECREATION

Xarl DeSchw1nitz has said, "I believe that recreation is fundamental to the art of living. There can be neither happiness nor good citizenship without it." Then in the same vein, Jerome Davis bas added, "Recreation is one of the most fundamental instinctive urges of mankind." Since the beginning there has been a steady increase in the interest in, and the understanding ot, the fundamentals ot playas an eduoational torce. It is a long step tram the time playgrounds and centers were organized to "keep the children otf the streets," or to "amuse them," to the present day. Now these playgrounds are operated as educational institutions maKing for healthy, socially-minded individuals who are learning demooratic citizenship through coopera­ tion and team work in their leisure time activities, and through the development ot social consciousness gained in directed group lite ot their clubs. It is extremely difficult to set a definite date as the beginning ot the play movement in America. There seems to have been some discussion as to this beginning. Some authorities would taxe us baCK to the time when the Hew England Commons was used by 55

boys for their games, when the grounds were not used for the training of the militia. StUl other authori­ ties strive to place the beginning at 1821 when the Latin School of Salem, Massachusetts, tried an experi­ ment of having physical education out of doors. Harvard, Yale, Williams, Brown, and Amherst Colleges established outdoor gymnasiums about this time, but did not influence public opinion to any appreciable degree. About 1866 the First Church of Boston started a vacation school, in which carpentry, singing, and na ture study were taught. The first instance of funds being voted by a municipality for the purchase of land to be used for playground purposes was in 1872 at Brookline, Massa­ chusetts, but no purchase was made at the time. It was not until years later that the first playground equipped with recreation facilities opened in Chicago, and was known as Washington Park. The real playground movement as it is known today in America, had its beginning in 1886 in Boston. The idea was not original in this country, but was borrowed bodily from Germany_ A traveller to that country was so impressed by the sight of children playing seashore games in sand piles and public parks, that the idea was carried back to America. A letter 56

by Dr. Marie Zakrzewska to the Massachusetts Emergency and Hygiene Association bore fruit by having several interested women place three sand piles in the yards of the Children's Mission in Boston. Other cities followed the lead of Boston, quick to realize that these "sand gardens" alleviated to same degree the problems of play activities of children in congested districts. In 1906 the Playground and Recreation Associa­ tion was formed by a group of interested men and women, leaders in the field of play, recreation, health, and social work. The first meeting was held on April 12, 1906, in the Y.M.C.A. in WaShington, D.C. One of the meetings was held at the White House where President Theodore Roosevelt spoke on play leadership, urging that there be no undue l1mitation of freedom ot chil- dren. One ot the questions brought up for discussion at this meeting was whether there should be a "National Playground Association"; a vote was taken with a favor­ able result. The following principles were approved and announced: "I. That inasmuch as play under proper conditions is essential to the health and the phYSical, social, and moral well being of the child, playgrounds are necessary tor all children as much as schools. 5'

"II. The playground system shall repre­ sent a plan which w11l provide a playground within a reasonable walking distance of every ch11d. In order to secure this result it is necessary that this system shall be definitely planned to meet the needs of each section of the city. "III. That while there is no inherent relation between spaces and Children and the exact amount of space re­ quired cannot be determined, we affirm that the play space for each child should not be less than thirty square feet for each child in the school. "IV. BE IT RESOLVED: That as playgrounds are a necessity to the well-being of children, they should be con­ structed on land owned by the city and operated at the expense of same."27

An interesting local angle is noted in a letter to Miss Frances Ingram from Mrs. Mary Anderson Hill, for.mer Head Resident of Neighborhood House, indicat­ ing that Mr. Archie Hill, one of the founders of the local settlement, was also instrumental in the estab­ lishment of the playground movement. "He was one of the organizers and among my treasures is a picture of the whole group of organizers on the steps of a public building in Washington, D.C. They are all gaily smiling because they had just com from an interview with President Roosevelt, who heartily approved their plans and ideals. In the group I remember especially Dr. Gulick and that valiant playground missionary, Miss Sadie America of Chicago."

27. Lee, Joseph, "Early Days," an address in the United States Daily, April 27, 1931. 58

Besides those noted, the organizing committee was composed ot the tollowing: Mary E. MCOowell, Wallace Hatch, Mrs. Samuel Ammon, William H. Baldwin, Henry s. Curtis, Amalie Hoter, Archibald Hill, Charles Weller, Mari Ruet Hoter, Beulah Kennard, Dr. George M. Kober, Commissioner H. s. McFarland, Mrs. Ellen Spencer Hussey, Myron T. Scudder, Seth T. Stewart, and Dr. Rebecca Stoneroad. During the tirst year such names as Joseph Lee, Jane Addams, Mary Stmkovitch, Felix Warburg, and James G. Phelps Stokes appeared among those who gave impetus to this new movement. This organization helped to unity the playgroUnd movement. As a part ot its service, its tield agents went trom place to place putting on publicity cam­ paigns, helping with legislation, and giving practical aid in helping each city launch its individual movements. Until about 1910 very little attention bad been paid to the superVision ot the playgrounds, but during that year and the succeeding ones, trained leadership tor play areas was considered most seriously. A play­ ground in itselt is of very little value unless super­ vised by trained leaders. Schools tor the training ot special leaders have since been established and many universities are instituting courses in the tield ot recreat1on. 59

The normal course of the movement is sketched in O. E. Rainwater's book, The Plal Movement in the United states: "The transitions of the play movement are nine in number, as follows: "1. From provision for little children to that for all ages of people; "2. From facilit1es operated during the summer months only to those main­ tained throughout the :year; "3. From outdoor equ1pment and activ1- ties only, to both outdoor and 1ndoor fac1l1t1es and events;

"4. From congested ur~an distr1cts to both urban and rural communities; "5. From ph1lanthrop1c to commun1ty support and control; "6. From free play and miscellaneous events to directed play w1th or­ gan1zed activ1ties and correlated schedules; "7. From a simple to a complex f1eld of activities including manual, phys1cal, aesthet1c, social, and civic projects; "8. From the provision of facilities to the. definition of standards for the use of leisure time; "9. From individual interests tQ group and community activities."28

Let us turn now from the general movement in the United states to the more specific, that of .. 28. Rainwater, o. E., OPe cit., p. 192. 60

Louisville. The local movement closely paralleled that ot the national in that it had its beginning on property owned privately aDd later taken over by municipal in­ terests. The movement tor public parks began through the Salamagundi Club, a club made up ot Louisville men interested in civic welfare. Until about 1885, Iroquois Park (tirst named Jacob's Park) was the only stretch of land in Louisville which had been purchased tor public parks. on July 1, 1890, the Board ot ParK Commissioners was formed. In 1891 a boDd issue was passed, authorizing this com­ mission to spend $4,000,000.00. Cherokee aDd Shawnee ParkS were then purchased. In 1920 Seneca Park was purchased, and in 1921 ground in the western portion ot the city was purchased for park purposes tor the colored population aDd the park was given the name ot Chickasaw. A section ot ground located in Highland Park was purchased in 1928 tor the purpose ot build­ ing a golf course tor Negroes, but the plans did not materialize and the land was used as a playground. To carry out the Indian names, this last was called

Seminole Park. These to~ the major parkS in Louis­ ville. The playground movement locally received its impetus and inspiration trom Miss Mary D. Anderson, 61

now Mrs. Archie A. Hill, who in 1899 started the "move­ ment that resulted in the establishment of what will likely be permanent public playgrounds in this city." Mrs. Hill very modestly gives us an interesting pic­ ture of the beginnings: "As to data on the early days of the Playground Committee in Louisville, I am not sure that my recollections amount to data. Knowing the need for room to play and sttmulus to first rate play - hadn't we seen listless children, Children innumerable, sitting on curb stones and in dirty passages, hadn't we chased down many a crap game and endeavoured to con­ vert it into something better, but with too little to offerr •••• We first interested the Woman's Club in the situation. Then we persuaded Mr. Ysanoff ot Cleveland, a pioneer in playground work, to come talk to anyone who would listen. Among the listeners was Mr. Robert Kinkead, then a park commissioner. Mr. Kin­ kead had a large tamily and a big heart, and his quick appreCiation, combined with the generous endeavours ot the Woman's Ulub, many of whom gave personal service to the under­ tak1ng, put the movement on its teet." The Mr. Kinkead, mentioned by Mrs. Hill, sub­ sequently became the president ot the Recreation League formed in December, 1900, by a group of interested men

and women who met in "Mrs. Trabue's parlor" to discuss the recreational needs of Louisville's children. By happy chance, a copy of Mr. Kinkead's first report has been preserved. As a matter of record, I quote the report, (with the exception ot the list of contributors) 62

feeling assured that a great deal of the philosophy of the first playground leaders might otherwise be lost.

"Louisville, Kentucky February 15, 1902

"To the Members of the Recreation League Louisville, Kentuck7 "In making this, the first biennial report of the Recreation League, it is proper that some record should be made of the origin of the playground move­ ment in Louisville. "In 1892 the Board of Park Commissioners con­ structed an open air gymnasium at Boone Square, in which were placed giant strides, swings, parallel and horizontal bars, sand courts, and see-saws, and about the same time Kenton Place in East Market Street and Logan Place on West Market Street were opened, but no eqUipment, with the exception of a few swings, was placed therein. In all these places the children were allowed to play without any supervision. "To Miss Mary D. Anderson, (now Mrs. Archie A. Hill of New York) is due the credit for the move­ ment that resulted in the establishment of what will likely be permanent- public playgrounds in this City. In 1899, through her-enthusiasm and energy, there was secured a vacant lot on Main Street between Floyd and Brook Streets, which was fitted with swings, see-saws, bars and sand heaps, with proper supervision for the direction of the children's play. Croquet, quoits and basketball were played by the older Children, While the smaller ones engaged in Kindergarten games. The average daily attendance at this playground was about forty-six. "During the summer of 1900, through Miss Anderson's further efforts, the playground movement was somewhat extended. The School Board granted the_ use of the school yard at Floyd and Chestnut Streets, and that of the Normal School on East Market Street, giving the use of the school swings and see-saws. A trained play instructor, Mr. J. E. Downey, was secured from the International Young Menls Ohristian Training School of Springfield, Mass. He was present each day at the playgrounds and with the voluntary assistance of several kindergartners, taught the children the various games and supervised their play. 63

"After the experiments of 1899 and 1900, as people became better acquainted with the subject and the good effects became more apparent, the interest in public playgrounds became somewhat more general, resulting in the call1ng together by the "Civic Comm1ttee~ of the Woman's Club in December, 1900, of quite a large number of persons at the residence of Mrs. E. F. Trabue, at which time and place was formed the "Recreation League ,'I and the following officers elected:- R. C. Kinkead President Mrs. E. F. Trabue First Vice-President Lafon Allen Second Vice-President Miss Mary D. Anderson Third Vice-President Prof. W. J. Mcconathy Fourth Vice-President D. G. B. Rose Treasurer Miss Mary Verhoeff Secretary An Executive Oommittee was formed composed of such offi­ cers, together with Miss Clara Look and Mrs. Harry Whitesides. "At this meeting there were present Miss Lucy Belknap, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Belknap, Professor W. J. Mcconathy, Miss Merker, Miss Ainslie, Mrs. Halleck, Mr. and Mrs. John Green, Miss Patty Hill, Rev. E. L. Powell, Professor E. H. Mark, Mr. RQ e, Mr. Allen, Mr. Kinkead, Miss Lafon, Miss Hallie Quigley, Mrs. E. F. Trabue, Mr. Charles Earl currie, and Miss Clara Look. Mrs. E. F. Trabue subsequently resigned her official pOSition as First Vice-President and Mrs. Harry White­ sides was elected in her place. Kiss Mary D. Anderson, upon her removal from the City, resigned as the Third Vice-President and such vacancy remains untilled. "To the Executive Committee named above was committed the completion of the organization of the League. On January 3d, 1901, that Committee met and adopted the following CON S TIT UTI 0 R "Section 1. The name of this organization shall be The Recreation League and its object shall be the encouragement of proper recreation by the public and especially the promotion of public playgrounds throughout the City of Louisville. "Section 2. Its membership shall consist of any man, woman or child who is 1nterested 1n the objects of the League as herein set forth and who shall pay an 64

initiation fee of twenty cents~ which shall continue such person in membership so long as he or she may de­ sire. "Section 3. The officers of the Association shall be a President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-president, Third Vice-President, Fourth Vice­ president~ Secretary and Treasurer who shall be elected annually by the members at a meeting to be called by the Executive COmmittee, and until the first meeting for an election shall be called and such election held~ those members who have heretofore been elected at a preliminary meeting shall hold the offices, vIz.:- R. C. Kinkead shall be President, Mrs. E. F. Trabue, First Vice-President; Lafon Allen, Second Vice-Presi­ dent; Miss Mary D. Anderson, Third Vice-President; Mr. W. J. Mcconathy, Fourth Vice-President; Miss Mary Verhoeff, Secretary; and D. G. B. Rose, Treasurer. "These officers shall constitute an Executive Committee who shall have the active control and direc­ tion of the work of the League. The said Committee shall have full power to fill any vacancy occurring in any of the offices hereinabove provided for; shall call all meetings of the members and do such other acts as may be necessary to carry out in detail the objects of the League. "At this first meeting of the Executive Com­ mittee, it was decided to ask the cooperation of the Board of Park Commissioners in order that the work might be greatly enlarged during the season ofl90l. In accordance with such purpose, a communicat10n was addressed to the Board of Park Commissioners request­ ing: "First: that the model playground at the Triangle on Third §treet be finished and equipped accord1ng to the plans adopted by the Bmrd. "Second: that the then equipment for play pur­ poses in Boone Square and DuPont Square be extended so as to afford better opportunities for the children's play. "Third: that a play director be placed in each of the four playgrounds at the expense of the Board of Park Commissioners, but to be selected by it and to be under the supervis10n and guidance of a playground supervisor to be furnished and paid by the Recreation League. "Fourth: that Baxter square be made a public playground. 65

"This request resulted in the appointment by the Board of Park Oommissioners of a Committee to confer with the Executive Oommittee of the League, and a con­ ference between the two Oommittees was held. After this conference the Committee fram the Park Board re­ ported to that body the recommendations herein alluded to, and such recommendations were adopted as made and the work prosecuted along the lines indicated. The officers of the Recreation League acknowledge their obligation to the B~rd of Park Oommissioners for their very cordial and generous support in the movement for public play grounds in Louisville. "As soon as it was known that means would be provided by the Board of Park Commissioners for the payment of salaries of the play directors" in the public parks, in addition to the amount that could be raised by the Recreation League, plans for work were laid. 1Ir. Arthur Leland, a trained instructor from the East, was secured by the League and placed in general charge ot all the playgrounds. The Recreation League secured the services of three kindergartners and three young men as assistants of Mr. Leland, so arranging the schedule that these assistants alternated at the various playgrounds, there being one in charge ot each playground during the hours of play. By this method the Recreation League was enabled to .keep open during the summer from June 23 to September 6, six separate pla1'grounds as follows: Normal School yard on East Market Street under the control of Miss Mary H. Scribner and Mr. Allen McDonald; at Floyd and uhestnut street School under the direction of Miss Adele MacGill and Mr. Warren Macfarlane; at the Tri­ angle under the direction of Miss MacGill and Mr. Warren Macfarlane; at duPont Square under the direc­ tion of Miss Jessie Davidson and Allen McDonald; at Baxter Square under the direction of Miss Mary H. Scribner and Mr. Neal Hughes; at Boone Square under the direction of Miss Jessie Davidson and Mr. Neal HUghes. The young men directed especially the play of the boys in the various athletic games and the young lady kindergartners directed the play of the girls and the little children. It was thought best to fix an age limit of sixteen years and under to those participating in the play. The Board of Park oommissioners paid the salary, th1rt1' dollars per month, of the play directars in the four public parks or squares under their control, and the League paid the salaries of the directors in the two public school 1Rrds. It will be seen from the above that there were two playgrounds in the Eastern end of the Oity, two in the Southern and two in the Western portion. 66

nSuch is the history of the playground movement in Louisville to this time. nIt may be ot interest to detail somewhat the general worJe of the League as to the manner of conduct­ ing these playgrounds in order to invite suggestions as to methods for future use. "It was found after operating the playgrounds for a few weeks that a certain spirit of competition was manifesting itself in the ohildren and in order to arouse a general interest and to encourage and promote a healthy athletic competition, the 'Louisville Play Ground Athletic Union' was formed, which was governed by a B~rd of Control consisting ot three members ot the Recreation League appOinted by the President and two members, one boy and one girl, trom each playground, the latter being elected by the popular vote of the children of the various playgrounds. "The Board of Control prepared a schedule of games for inter-playground competition, including tournaments for the boys in baseball and other mascu­ line athletics; and tournaments in basketball, tenniS, croquet, etc. for the girls. A regular score was kept of all the games between the teams or clubs from the various playgrounds, and a silk banner or ChampionShip trophy was competed for, which, during the past summer, was won by Boone Square, the children of that place having attained the highest general average in all the games. This trophy w111 be floated at Boone Square during the summer of 1902 and will belong permanently to that playground which succeeds in first winDing it for the third time. "In each of the playgrounds the children were required to wear a button ot a oolor peculiar to that particular playground that such child frequented. These buttons were furnished to the children at one cent, the actual cost, in order to inculcate a feeling of individual interest and responsibility, and it was interesting to note the healthy rivalry which such buttons aroused. nThe movement in LouisVille has attracted some outside attention by reason of several novel features, notably the wading pools which have been constructed in Baxter Square and at the Triangle. The Bee rd of Park Commissioners contemplates the completion of the Triangle and Baxter Square during the coming Spring, and it is safe to say that when these two playgrounds are fully completed, they will equal the best in Eastern 67

cities. Herewith is also submitted a blue print of Baxter Square as it will be ultimately finished. "The writer had hoped to have data from which could be stated the actual daily attendance at the various playgrounds, but it is found upon looking over the report made by the supervisor that he has omitted to give this information. "It is useless to dwell upon the necessity for the continued operation of the playgrounds and while it might be desirable to have more of such places estab­ lished, it is not advisable that any effort be made to enlarge the work during the cOming season, but that an earnest effort be made to at least continue the work of last summer. Kuch good has been accomplished and it is hoped that the League w11l at once take such steps as may result in the permanent establishment of 1his move­ ment in Louisville. "In closing it may not be improper that a few general suggestions or recommendations be made. Ex­ perience has taught us: "First: that the maximum age limit should be reduced to, say, children not exceeding fourteen years of age. "Second: a kindergartner should be placed in each playground during the entire time that such play­ ground is open and that the work of such kindergartner should be directed solely to the play of the very small children.

"Third: that the cooperation of the B~rd of Park Commissioners and in addition that of the munici­ pal authorities, Should be sought, and to this end it may be suggested that a committee of the lady members of the League wait upon the Mayor and the Board of Park Oommissioners for the purpose of securing their coopera­ tion and assistance. "It is proper that special attention should be called to the valuable services by the "Committee on Ways and Means," of which Miss Clara Look was chairman and Miss Anderson, Miss Booth, Miss Junker, Miss Tarrent, Mr. Rose, and Mr. Allen were members. This Committee did most of the hard wor.k and especially that of keep­ ing the matter before the public through means of the newspapers. "There is attached hereto the Treasurer's report to October 10, 1901. Respectfully submitted, R. O. KIIt!EAD~ President" 68

In 1901 six playgrounds were maintained, four in the city's parxs, and two outside. In 1902, seven playgrounds were maintained, four in the parks and three outside.

An account of an interesting experiment per­ formed on the Louisville playgrounds in 1903, whioh in addition to demonstrating the institution of a novel projeot, gives a olear, composite pioture of the ac­ tivities of that t~e, is desoribed in Charities (June 4, 1904) by Arthur Leland, under the title, "Playground Self-Government." This artiole, better than any ohart or set of statistios, graphically portrays the attempt being made by the reoreation heads to inject self­ government and. incidentally to promote "charaoter­ building" on its playgrounds during the early years of the twentieth oentury. "The publio playgrounds of Louisville com­ bine in a most satisfaotory way the fea­ tures of the small par!t and playground. This development has been possible only through the aotive oo-operation of the Board of Park Commissioners with the Recreation League in the conduct of the work. The park playgrounds are part of the system of interior squares. The parK board oonstructs and maintains them as parks all of the time. They also employ an athletic instruotor and a kindergart­ ner who are appointed by the Reoreation League and who are on duty six hours a day or during the time that the parKS are turned into playgrounds under the control of the Reoreation League. All the playgrounds of the city are thus united under one management and the uniformity ot work resulting gives splendid opportunity tor organization. 69

"Louisville has many vacant spaces tor playroom, but the climate in the summer makes the children rather indisposed to physical activity. It was tound necessary to otter special inducements in the way ot exciting athletic compe­ tition in order to arouse interest. In each playground several teams were tormed to compete with each other, the playground winning the most points to receive the championship banner. To carry this on, the playgrounds were organized into a Playground Athletic Union. This Union had entire control ot the inter-playground athletics, making out schedules of games, decid­ ing who is eligible to play and settling all disputes. It is governed by a board ot control made up ot two repre­ sentatives ot the children ot each playground, and two representatives ot the Recreation League. The president ot the League is also president ot the board of control. The board meets twice a year. The children seemed so interested in the election of these representatives that the rather ela­ borate system of partial self govern­ ment now in operation evolved. "Every playground is organized into a miniature city having most of the im­ portant provisions ot the city govern­ ment in a rUdimentary torm. "At the outset two parties were brought together in each playground and these were deSignated by the names ot the candidates for mayor. The regular attendants were registered, only those over eight were entered on the polling lists and primaries were torthwith held. These primaries were wild and exciting. The children were not slow in shouting the names of their favorites. The machine had little to say in the matter, tor the conventions stampeded to the popular girls and boys. 70

"Each playground elects its mayor, who appoints all of the minor officers, and aids the director in enforcing play­ ground laws. The juvenile citizens choose, also a police judge, a board of aldermen, made up of girls, and a council, of boys, which elect their own officers and meet twice each week for the passage of playground laws. At first the children did not show much interest in these meet­ ings, but now they want them oftener, and the city clerk is kept busy recording the ordinances which are passed by both boards and approved by the mayor. "The mayor appOints a board of public works, which has charge of the manual training of the playground. Several of the children are styled teachers and overlook the dIfferent classes in bas­ ketry! whittling and raffia work. The presiaent of the board is duly entrusted with the key to the box in which the materials are kept and the whole board helps the younger ones in their work. A board of public safety, also appointed by the mayor, is guardian of the materials of the different games, baseball bats, tennis courts, the baSketball and cro­ quet grounds, sees to it that none of the materials are lost and that none plays longer than he should. Members of this board act as umpires in the games. Any dispute which they cannot settle is taken before the poli~e judge. Should the offender appeal, the ~ase is taken to the· play directcr, whose function here is in the nature of a circuit court. The penalties are expulsion from the games for a brief season. The circuit judge sometimes suspends the offender from the playgrounds for a few days, and sometimes the supervisor of play­ grounds is called in and sits as judge of the supreme court of appeals. "In a board of health also is vested the notable responsibility of keeping hands and faces of the children clean, and the health officer does a rushing busi­ ness every morning when the children come. '71

"A beard of park commissioners has care of the playgrounds. Its members have several little red wagons and every . morning go about picking up papers and other waste which they take outside the park and burn. The se miniature park boards plant seeds and plants in the borders of the grounds and are zealous in their care. "one playground has a oity librarian apPointed by the mayor and the free library loan books, which are given out to the children and returned. A board of trade conducts children and visitors around the par~ with unction, explaining all its advantages and try­ ing to get them to oome again. "It has been found that when the children pass their own laws or pass upon park and playground regulations the matter of discipline is no longer a problem. They have made excellent choices in the election of officers. At f1rst it was thought that they might choose the bullies and those who had not the best influence. In almost every case, how­ ever, it bas been found that they select for their rulers just those who are natural leaders, and who would be se­ lected b7 the play directors as the ohil­ dren having the best influence over the others. "If it becomes necessary for any of the teachers to expel a boy from the yard the police judge and the mayor attend to the matter and the offender 1s out of it. If a baseball goes over in the bushes and, so far as appearances go is lost, 1t 1s the board of public safety which constitutes itself into a detective force and searches out the boy who took it. It might be added that the suspen­ sion of the game till the ball returns is also a great incentive to vigor on the part of Master Sherlock Holmes. "The Playground Athletic Union, with its board of control, corresponds to the state government, having charge of the '72

athletics of all playgrounds when they come together in inter-playground eompe­ tition. They also grant the city charters which are a juvenile adaptation from the Louisville city charter. "on the whole, the plan of self-government which has been developed gives very satis­ factory results. Of course, it is neces­ sary that the youthful lawmakers receive a deal of guidance through suggestions from those in charge. The children have passed upon the rulings ot Municipal parx Board and the Recreation League adopting them as statutes from a higher body. With this, these rules have a new mean­ ing in their eyes and are adhered to much mare faithfully as soon as they have been accepted as laws. "Invariably we have had the best results in the playgrounds which have been most successful in athletic competition. It is to be admitted that much has not been accomplished in municipal government at SODle of the playgrounds, and invariably these playgrounds have been backward in games and in the spirit of cooperation. The conclusion has been reached that the best way to cultivate the spirit of organization in the children is through the medium of team athletics. Perhaps the greatest lesson which has been taught is the lesson of municipal self-govern­ ment illustrated by actual experience in voting and holding office. Ohi1dren begin to learn the value of the vote when they see what it will accomplish on the playground. Once they learn its value it will be difficult to rob them ot it."29

This project perished in one brief summer; according to the Recreation League's pamphlet of 1905, "You could not be told why better than in the words ot

29. Leland, Arthur, "Playground Se1t-Government," in Charit~es, Vol. XII, No. 23, June 4, 1904. '73

one of the children, 'Oh, please don't give us cities, 'cause it don't give us no time tor playin.,n The work progressed slowly from year to year until 1909 when twelve playgrounds were maintained, six of which were on property owned by the Park Board, and six on property lent to the Recreation League tor that purpose. During that season, Mr. Austin G. Johnson was in charge of the entire system, and had under him twenty-three instructors. The Park Board appropriated $1,500.00 tor the season to cover the salaries of the supervisor and those instructors placed on playgrounds in the city's parks. The Recreation League paid the salaries of those instructors placed on playgrounds outside ot the city's parks, as well as purchased all perishable supplies ~ch as balls, bats, nets, etc. wherever used. In 1910, at the request ot the Louisville Oon­ ference of Social Workers, Neighborhood House, in cooperation with the Oouncil of Jewish Women, under­ took a survey of the dance hall situation in Louisville. ThrOl1gh the counsel and aid of the Playground and Recreation Association of America, the scope of this survey was widened to include the whole recreational tield., However, the only permanent results from the survey were better dance hall regulations. ])uring this same year the ltiucational Committee ot the Woaan I s Club began to study "The Wider Use of the School Plant," and in January, 1911, the first school center in Louisville was operated under the auspices ot the Woman's Club. From 1911 to 1916 community centers were con­ ducted in a number ot schools. This work was tinanced either by the Woman's Club or by local organizations ot the community in which the schools were located. The schools operated as community centers during some part of this period were the Broadway, Whittier, WaShington, portland, Tingley, Duncan, and Brandeis schools. In 1915 a CommiSSion was appointed by John H. Buschmeyer, Mayor of Louisville, to study the vice situation in the city. The Commission conSidered wholesome recreation as the fundamental method of pre­

venting the growth ot ~ice and stated that: "1. Most young men and women who go wrong do so as a part ot their recreational lite. "2. Vicious influences on the young are chiefly exerted through companion­ ships formed during recreation. "3. The ideals of women in the minds of young men and ot men in the minds of girls determine largely whether these young people live clean or vicious lives. These sex ideals are largely tormed by the companionships ot recreation hours." '75

The Commission recommended a year-round compre­ hensive plan ot recreation tor Louisville, and went so tar as to draw up an act creating a Recreation Com­ mission by ordinance whereby the Co~ssion was given power to rent, acquire, and hold property by purchase, -condemnation, or contract, and to conduct a year­ round program in the schools and libraries. The plan suggested that the General Council ot the city levy a tax of not less than one cent nor more than two cents, upon each one hundred dollars of all municipal taxable property. During the same year, a Recreation AssoCiation was tormed with Mr. E. S. Tachau as president. Quoting trom the recreation notes made by Mrs. John Little, it was decided that: "A notice be sent to all past triends ot recreation beginning with the group in 'Mrs. Trabue's parlour' in 1898, in­ cluding all succeeding groups and sub­ scribers asking them to become active members of the Recreation Association ot Louisville, and advising them ot the status ot affairs." As a consequence, a meeting was held in Mr. Laton Allen's office, Thursday, February 20, 1915. There were twenty-two men and women present, representing such groups as the Park-Board, the Retail Merchants' Associa­ tion, the Y.M.C.A., the Y.W.C.A., Neighborhood House, the Council ot Jewish Women, the Consumers' League, the \ '6

Board of Trade, the Women's Club, aDd other interested individuals. The object of the Recreation Association ot Louisville was "to assist in securing an adequate opportunity for wholesome recreation for every man, woman, and child in Louisville." At that meeting Mr. Rowland Haynes of the Playground and Recreation Association of America spoke brietly on the recreational needs of Louisville. As a result, in 1916 the Assooiation brought Mr. L. H. Weir of the Recreation Association staff to make an exhaustive survey of the leisure time of the people of Louisville. Mr. Weir's study was conSidered to be a model of its kind. At that time Louisville had 1,500 aores UDder the Park Board, twenty acres through co­ operation with other agencies. Nine sohool yards were used as playgrounds, but it was recommended that four­ teen other school yards be used. Mr. Weir pointed out several admirable features of the Louisville Park and Recreation System. "1. The extent of the property "2. The distribution of property in relation to the population "3. The good physical features "4. The excellent maintenance." '1'1

Jfr. Weir recommended: "1. That the Park Board, the School Board, and the Library Board get together to consider the problem of recreation. "2. That all new schools and several old ones were especially adapted to be used for recreation. Four­ teen were well suited. "3. That there be more facilities for swimming and bathing, and that the pool at Central Park be used all the year. "4. That it would cost $20,000 only for a year-round system. "5. That a municipal athletic associa­ tion be orfanized such as is in st. Louis. Growing out of this very comprehensive and exhaustive study, a bill was introduced in the State Legislature to create a Recreation Commission for Louis­ v1lle, but commerc1al interests comb1ned to defeat this b1ll. From the fall of 1917 to the summer of 1919 the Brandeis, Montgomery, Stoddard Johnston, and Pren­ tice Schools, in addition to several libraries, were used as community centers by the War Camp Community Service. The Art Committee of the Woman's Club served as the oommittee in charge of th1s work. 'rhe establishment of Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisv1lle, for the tra1ning of soldiers for oversea duty dur1ng the World War, brought many problems to '8

the city. By no means small was the problem ot rec­ reation, not only for the soldiers but tor those who came to Louisv1lle w1th them. A War Recreation Board was tormed at the direct request ot the Tra1ning Camp Comm1ssion ot the War Department. Secretary ot War Baker, in apPointing the Training Camp CommisSion, created a body with three distinct purposes: 1. To prov1de social and recreational faci11ties within the camps. (This was carried on by the Y.M.C.A., Knights of Columbus, and the Y.M.H.A.) 2. To secure the repression ot the sale of liquor to sold1ers and the re­ press10n of vice in the vicin1ty of the camps. 3. To organize within the communities adjacent to the camps, all SOCial, civic, recreational, relig1ous, and fraternal organizations and facili­ ties in such a way as to bring the soldiers and the community into wholesome, normal relations. Mr. Cecil C. North was sent by the Playground and Recreation Association to act as Executive Secretary of the War Recreation Board and worked under the direc- tion ot a committee apPointed by the Board of Trade. The work of the Recreation Board was different from that set out above in that it had no jurisdiction within the camp and it had nothing to do with vice or liquor control. It had to do solely with constructive measures undertaken within the city to relate the com­ munity and the soldier in the most wholesome way. '79

There were seventeen sub-committees organized to carryon the War Recreation Board. Mr. Ben Washer headed the Public Recreation Committee and his com­ mittee made a census ot all public recreation tacili­ ties within the city and worked with the to\V,nspeople in providing wholesome recreation £or both the soldiers and the young people of the community. A Committee on Music and Dramatics was responsible tor furnishing en­ tertainers and entertainments tor the camp. one of the most active committees was that of the Weltare Com­ mittee which undertook to coordinate the work ot all the agencies working with young women o£ the city. Supervision o£ the dance halls and other places of public amusement £ell to this committee, which was

headed by Miss Frances Ingram. Mr. La£on Allen was appointed General Chairman ot the War Recreation Board and it was through him that the Board functioned so intelligently. The leaders in the field ot recreation £elt that to do a lasting piece of work it was necessary to have more training tor its workers. An appeal was sent to the National Federation o£ Settlements in 1919 tor the best person available to come to Louisville to assist in a training institute. AS a result, Miss Neva L. Boyd of the Chicago School ot Civics and Philanthropy was sent to conduct an institute. Miss 80

Boyd is now connected with Northwestern University. Her influence was felt so keenly that in 1922 when the Board of Park Commissioners, realizing that the in­ structors needed·special training in playground tech­ nique, joined Neighborhood House in sponsoring a one week Recreation Institute, they again asked Miss Boyd to conduct it. But other plans intervened and Kiss Boyd sent one of her former pupils, Miss Ida Levin, to take her place. Kiss Levin was a revelation to the young men and women who enrolled for training. Her enthusiasm, her fund of knowledge, her attention to detail did much to inspire those who came to her for

training in order to continue in the field of recrea­ tion. Sixty-six enrolled for the classes which were conducted at Neighborhood House, with the following or- ganizations represented: The Park Board 20 Neighborhood House 12 Louisville Fresh Air Home 3 Family Service organization 10 State Board of Health 3 Unidentified with any organization 12 The institute was extremely successful in that it served as a stimulus to those already in the field of recreation, and an inspiration for those who were not. It might be appropriate to give a little of the background of the Louisville School of Social Work and

its~ection with the University of Louisville. 81

In November, 1918, a meeting was held by members of the Louisvllle Conference of Social Workers, Bo~ of Workers, and the Welfare League to consider the matter of the establishment of a School of Soclal Work. out of this meeting grew the first school, the object of which was to train workers already on the job in the social agencies. The Welfare League and the Conference of Social Work shared the responsibility for the school and classes were held twice a week at the Engineers and Architects Club beginning in December, 1918, from 4:45 to 5:40 o'clock. The subjects of Child Welfare, Family Welfare, Public Health, Industry, Education, and Crime and Delinquency were discussed. One month was devoted to each subject. An Executive Committee composed of Dr. Gardner of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Caldwell of the University of Louisville, Professor Cotton of the Presbyterian Seminary, Mr. o. L. Reid of the Public School System, Mr. Reuben Post Halleck, Miss Ethel Lovell, Judge R. W. Bingham, Presi­ dent of Louisville Communlty Council, Mr. George Settle, and Mr. Elwood Street guided the efforts of this first school. Although the school was not affiliated with the Unlversity at that time, one semester's credit was given to the students completing the course by the Universit,y, the Normal School, and both the theological seminaries. 82

Tuition was tree to all paid members ot the Louisville Conference ot Social Workers, and $1.00 to others. The Executive Committee recognized that an independent school was more or less of a makeshift and that the real place for the school was in a university. Negotiations were entered into with both the Un1versity of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. The plan proposed to the Un1vers1ty of Kentucky was that a school should be established under that insti­ tution with the courses leading to the degree of

Bachelor of Arts in Social Serv1ce. The first two years of the proposed course were to be taken at Lex­ ington and the iast two 1n Louisville. This plan tell through and negot1ations with the Un1versity of Louis­ ville were pressed. The State Board ot Health had been up until this time located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, but Dr. Arthur' McCormack, the head, was anxious to move 1t to louiSVille where he wished to establish a school ot public health in connection with the Medical School of the University of Louisville. Dr. McCormack sug­ gested that the School ot Social Work might cooperate in this plan. The Welfare League entered into an agreement w1th the Universlty of Louisv1l1e by which the League was to pay one half the expenses incldent to the carrying on ot the SChool ot Soclal Work, providlng 83

the expense did not exceed $1,000. Dr. Horman Ware came to the University at this time and took charge ot the courses, and various social workers gave lectures. According to information available, there was an en­ rollment ot 130 in the courses oftered. At the end ot the semester in 1920, there seemed to have been some sort ot misunderstanding about the joint tinancing ot the courses offered and as a consequence they were dis­ continued, although Dr. Ware remained as the head ot the Sociology Department. ~he School of Public Health was discontinued in 1924 because of lack ot students. In 1922 the School ot Social Work was reorgan­ ized on a difterent basis trom that of the school which bad died. ~he school was to bave a separate existence and was to be supported by the We1tare League, although in connection with the University ot Louisville. Miss

Marjory Warren of Boston was secured as its head. ~he school was under the Board of Workers, and its Execu­ tive Committee conferred with Dr. Ware about credits and fees. ~he school opened on January 8, 1923, with a registration of seventy-eight, tour ot whom were fu11- time students. In September, 1923, a Department ot Occupational Therapy was established at the instigation ot the Uni­ verSity and ot the We1tare League, but against the wishes ot the director. This department was discon­ tinued in February, 1925, because ot lack of students. 84

At each step of reorganization there had been felt the need for courses in Recreation. The time of the assistant at Neighborhood House, Miss Vera Paschal, a pupil of Mr. Eduard Lindeman, was given to conduct such a course trom January to June, 1923. In September of that year Kiss Ida Levin was persuaded to return to Louisville to head up the Recreation Department. It was under Mias Levin's ~eadership that the Recreat10n Department received its impetus. A new head of the school was secured in October, 1924, who remained until 1926 when the sChool went out of existence as a separate institution. In the spring of 1926 the University of Lou1s­ ville approved the taking over of the classes of the School of Social Work as part of the Sociology Depart­ ment. Local .executives of the Soc1al Agencies were to be used to teach the various classes, and it was agreed that the University was to assume no extra expense, the cost to be borne by the Community Chest. Kiss Levin was made the head of the Recreation Council when the school went out of existence, and gave half of her time to the University classes. Her salary was paid by the Commun1ty Chest. The strain of trying to do many jobs soon took 1ts toll, and Kiss Levin sutfered a nervous breakdown. Workers from Neighborhood House taught the Recreation classes until a substitute teacher was 86

brought here to take K1ss Levints place. Even after her return, these workers cont1nued to teach the pract1cal courses. Dr. Frank J. O'Br1en, Mr. Paul Benjam1n, and Mr. Arthur Taylor taught courses 1n Mental Hyg1ene, Case Work, and Ch1ld Welfare problems. The Recreat10n classes were taught 1n the car house at Fourth and Avery, since the Un1versity at that time had no gymna­ aitUn. Classes were taught by M1ss Levin unt1l 1929 when Dr. Frances Price came to the Univers1ty as head otthe Department of Sociology. Some classes were taught by members of the Recreat10n Department staff, but no one was available for case work or group work classes under Dr. Pr1ce's professorsh1p. In 1930 Dr. Margaret K. Strong was secured partly through the efforts ot the American Association of Social Workers to head the Sociology Department. In 1934 the Com­ mun1ty Chest offered through the Recreation Council to contr1bute $100.00 a month for the school year, September, 1934, to June, 1935, toward the salary of an instructor 1n group work in the Department of Sociology and Soc1al Work, and Mr. Chester L. Bower was secured to teach these courses. The group work courses were taught in the Sociology and Soc1al Work Department until 1936 when the Divis10n of Soc1al 8'1

Administration was established in the Graduate School and group work courses were included in its curriculum. But let us get back to the running account ot the playground movement in Louisville. During the summer of 1923 the Rotary, the KiwaniS, and the Lion's Clubs established playgrounds during the vacation months. The Rotary Club with 247 members equipped two playgrounds at a cost ot $350 each, and expended $125 on each one tor maintenance. The Kiwanis Club with 145 members furnished two supervisors at $140 a month for the season. The Lion's Club, with 90 mambers, furnished a playground at Sixth and River at a cost ot $3,300.00 and maintained it at a cost of $500.00 a year. These clubs performed a great civic service in promoting wholesome activities in neglected tields. Their mission was realized atter they started this needed work, developed it, and turned it over to the City Recreation Department.

In December, 1923, at a jo1nt meeting of the Kentucky Ch11d Welfare League, a state-wide Recreation Comm1ttee was formed for the purpose of passing the Home Rule Recreation Act. The following year, 1924, saw another survey made by the Playground Recreation Association ot America

under the direction of Kr. Batchel,o~r. In h1s survey, Mr. Batchel,o'lr recommended in part: 88

1. Pour additional playgrounds. 2. A year-round trained superinten­ dent of recreation to ooperate with the churches, clubs, and soclal organizations in the city in an effort to develop a plan of community recreation. 3. That the playgrounds be kept open trom May 1 to Hovember 1, instead of just during the school vacation and to bave paid instructors or­ ganize outdoor activities during the rest of the year. 4. To have four tennis courts con­ structed.

Mr. Ba tchel cr~r in hi s report said: "Approximately 78 per cent of the crimes committed in this country are committed by persons under twenty-one years ot age, and approximately 90 per cent during leisure time. In the opinion of experts, the main reason for this dreadful condition of juvenile delin­ quency is the lack of proper facilities for recreation in the modern city." On February 6, 1924, after much hard work by interested groups and individuals, the desired Home Rule Recreation Act was passed. It was designated as: "An act to provide for the establishment, conduct and maintenance of public play­ grounds and recreation grounds and centers in and by cities and counties; and authorizing school districts to join in the conduct and operation of such playgrounds and recreation centers." (Senate Bill 274) The bill was introduced by a Mr. Caywood and was referred to the Committee on Public Health. 89

The tollowing resolution, urging the Kayor to call a conference of representatives ot the BCll rd ot Education, the Board ot Park Commissioners, the Woman's Club, men's civic groups, settlements and other rec­ reational organizations, and the churches to consider the problem ot recreation and to make recommendations tor a city-wide, year-round plan tor Louisville, was passed in the spring ot 1924 at a meeting ot the Louis­ ville Conference ot Social Workers.

"RESOLUTION Submitted at a Meeting ot Louisville Conference ot Social Work March 24, 1924 "WHEREAS the playground movement had its be­ ginning in Louisville in 1900, and "WHEREAS, the Woman's Club demonstrated the value of Social Center work in the publio schools ot Louisville from 1911-1915, and "WHEREAS, demonstrations were made by the War Camp Community Service in the school buildings during 1917-19, and "WHEREAS, surveys have been made by the Na­ tional Playground andRecreation Assooiation ot Amerioa in the years 1911, 1915, and 1924, and "Organization ot Reoreation Assooiation of Louisville in 1915, "WHEREAS the Vice Commission in 1915, in its report, stated that wholesome reoreation was the most fundamental method of preventing the growth ot vioe, and "Recreation Survey in 1916

"WHEREAS in 1916, the Reoreation Committee of Louisville ,all but passed an all year round recreation act for a city of the first class, and

p 90

~BEREAS, the Rotary Club and Lions Club estab­ lished playgrounds during the ~er of 1923, aDd "WHEREAS, representatives of different neigh­ borhoods deplore the lack of wholesome recreation in their respective communities, and "WHEREAS, the Kentucky Child Welfare Commission united with the Community Chest of Louisville in estab­ lishing a state-wide Recreation Committee for the pur­ pose of passing the Home Rule Recreation Act, and "WHEREAS, the need for recreation is being partially met by the Park Board, the Clmrches, the Community Chest and other local agencies, "BE IT RESOLVED: That it is the sense of this meetIng that the Mayor be requested to call a conference representing the Park Board, the School Bmrd, the Woman's Club, the Lions Club, the Ret ary Club, the Settlements, the ASSOCiations, the Churches, the Board of Trade, the Kentucky Child Welfare Commission and the Community Chest to consider the problem of recrea­ tion in Louisville and bring back recommendations for a city-wide, year round plan for this city." Subsequently Mayor HUston Quin asked the Presi­ dent of the Community Chest to call a meeting of these groups. The outcome of this meeting was the organiza­ tion of the Recreation Council, whose tunction it was to act as a "clearing house and information center," and in an advisory capacity to agencies and to promote interest in an organized program of supervised play_ An interesting history of this council is con­

tained in a mimeographed report entitled, Brief Resume

of Historz and Present Status of the Health Co~cil,

Recreation Council, and Pa~ll and Child Welfare Coun­

cil of the Community Chest, issued in the spring of 1926. This account is as follows: 91

HISTORY OF THE RECREATION COUNCIL

"The Recreation Council whose activities in­ volve a wider scope of agencies outside the Chest than

in the Chest was also promoted and organized largel~ from the outside. The volume of recreational work done in Louisville and the mone~ involved represent the main activities of public and private agencies who, under no construction, will ever become finan­ cially affiliated with the Community Chest. Conse­ quently, the handling and promotion of the Recreation Council by organizations outside the Chest as well as by member agencies was logically conducted in a manner in many respects similar to the promotion of the Emer­ son Survey and the Health Council. "The Louisville Conference of Social Work, a group of persons interested in .ooial work, dates back a number of years before the Welfare League. Its pro­ grams have covered the whole field of social work, its speakers, many of them from outside Louisville, have presented various_ phases of social work. On March 24, 1924, the Recreational Committee of the Conference assumed responsibility for the meeting which was given over to a diSCUSSion of 'The Recreational Facilities of Louisville.' A resolution was passed at this meet­ ing authorizing Mr. Nemser, chairman of the Recreational Committee, to call upon Kayor Quin and ask him to call 92

a conference representing the Park Board, the Board ot Education, civic and luncheon clubs, private agencies interested in recreation, and the Oommunity Ohest to consider the problem of recreation in Louisville and to make recommendations tor a city-wide, year-round plan. This was done, and Mayor Quin asked Mr. Barnes, as president ot the Oommunity Ohest, to call a meet­ ing ot organizations interested in the recreational problems of Louisville. Such a meeting was held in the Public Library May 23, 1924. At this meeting there was a general representation of both the Ohest and non­ Ohest agencies. Mr. Barnes explained the purpose of the meeting, and a resolution was eventually passed recommending that a Recreation Oouncil under the Ad­ visory Oouncil of the Oommunity Ohest be organized. An investigation committee, a nominating committee, and a constitution committee were apPointed at this meeting. They subsequently reported at a meeting on June 11, at which time the name of the organization was adopted, The Recreational Division of the Advisory Oounci1 of the Community Chest. The constitution was adopted and officers elected.

"The Park B~rd, largely through the influence

of )(r. John Heyburn, had been working with Mr. Batchelor and Mr. Weir, representatives of the Playground and Recreation Association of America. This national 93

recreational organization had made a recreational sur­ vey of Louisville in 1916 which at that time was con­ sidered a model study of its kind. Many of the excel­ lent recommendations embodied in this report had not becaae effective ,owing to the fact that Louisville had never had a sufficient number of local people trained in recreation available for local jobs. The Recrea­ tional Departmept of the Louisville School of Social Work has been helping to overcome this difficulty as its graduates are being placed at the disposal of the

Park B~rd. Sixteen were employed in 1925. In 1924 the survey of 1916 was revised and brought up to date by Mr. Batchelor and Mr. Weir. The Recreation Council undertook to supplement the public survey with a sur­ vey of priv~te recreational facilities and to secure data and recommendations which would be the background for the future activities of the Recreation Council. Such a general study was subsequently made by the Rec­ reation Council under the direction of Mr. F. E. R. Miller who succeeded Mr. Batchelor as regional repre­ sentative ot the Playground and Recreation Association. This study was made with the cooperation ot the churches, the B~rd of Education, the Park Board, and numerous other groups interested in recreation. Mr. Miller gave his tinal report before the Rotary Club and representa­ tives ot the organizations which had cooperated in 94

making the study. This study places at the disposal of Louisville the same type of informat ion and recommenda­ tion made possible to the health field by the Emerson Survey, and the Recreation Council is now making steady progress in securing better cooperation between public and private agencies in the recreation field. "Thirty-eight organizations are working with the Council, fifteen, or thirty-nine per cent of which are in the Chest, and twenty-three, or sixty-one per cent of which are not members of the Chest."30 In 1925 a survey of private agencies operating in the recreation field was made to supplement the 1916 and the 1924 public recreation surveys made by repre­ sentatives in order to show the whole task ot all the recreational bodies in Louisville. The atm, ot course, as in former years, was to show the need of recreation, and particularly for a year-round program of public recreation. Until 1926 the playgrounds were operated for a period ot ten weeks only, but in 1926 and 1927 they were operated for sixteen weeks. A tremendous step forward was taken when the City of Louisville passed a Bond Issue for $1,500,000 in the fall of 1927. This meant that for the first

30. Mtmeographed report entitled, Brief Resume of Hi$tor and Present Status of the HeaitS Councill Recreat ion Counoil, and 'ami!! and ChIld Welfare Counoli ot the OommunIty Ches , spring, 19~6. 95

time it was possible, because of adequate finances, for the Board of Park Commissioners to operate playgrounds and community centers the year round. And so the struggles of that first small group of women bore fruit in this Bond Issue. Same of the first members were active at the polls in 1927 when the Issue was up before the voters, and what gratifi­ cation and reward were theirs in knowing that a diffi­ cult task had been well donel The passage or the bond issue tn 1927 permitted the Board of Park Commissioners to enlarge its program and to secure a year round director of recreation. The help of the National Recreation Association was enlisted and Mr. Fay Marvin was employed to take over his duties in 1928. On May 23, 1928, a mass meeting was held at the Woman's Club to introduce to Louisville club women the new director of the Department ot Public Rec­ reation. Shortly atter Mr. Marvin's arrival, Mr. Donald McDonald, Chairman of the Recreation Committee ot the Board of Park Commissioners, suggested that the Depart­ ment ot Public Recreation and the Recreation Council be housed together so that they might work closely to­ gether. The Executive Committee ot the Council felt it unwise to make a change at that time. This did not mean, however, that the Recreation Council did not 96

otter its complete cooperation to the new department.

The director of the Council, Miss Ida Levi~was asked to assist with the supervision ot the playgrounds, but declined on account ot lack of time. The Council did, however, work very closely with the Public Department in acquainting the new director with the local situa­ tion, in helping with training institutes, and in set­ ting up the department's program. In 1929 under the City Government Bill, recrea­ tion became a division of the Department ot Welfare. The Board ot Park Commissioners continued to maintain the majority of phySical eqUipment in public community centers and provide facilities for tenniS, golf, and baseball. The Recreation Division is responsible tor leaderShip and program. The following is the set up of the Department of Public Welfare.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE I. Legal Basis The new charter of the City of Louisville, con­ sisting of the amendments ot 1926 to the original charter ot 1893, created by statute (Ky- statutes, Sec. 2862 (a) ) the Department of Public Weltare as one ot the six major city departments. Organization and functions ot the Department are outlined by statute as tollows: 9.,

"The department of public welfare ot cities of the first class, when estab­ lished as provided herein, shall be under the supervision and direction of a director to be designated director of welfare, and shall, except as other­ wise provided by law, have exclusive control, under the acts of general assembly and the ordinances of the legislative body of said cities, ot all matters relating to the provision of the care of adult and juvenile de­ linquents, dependents and persons men­ tally deficient; the investigation of conditions that develop dependency, delinquency and mental deticiency; the education ot the public regarding such conditions and the adoption of remedial measures; the provision for and super­ vision of public amusements and the promotion of opportunities for health­ ful recreation in play grounds and com­ munity centers; the supervision of public baths, comfort stations and cemeteries, the Detention Home, the Home for the Aged and Infirm, the Oity Workhouse; and may prescribe rules and regulations for the government and dis­ cipline of the inmates of the city's charitable and penal institutions, in­ cluding in such rules general provisions for the deduction, for good conduct, from the time of persons contined in such penal institutions; and the super­ vision of the maintenance at the Univer­ sity of Louisville of classes in social welfare in order to provide trained workers for service in said department; and such other matters as may by ordi­ nance be placed under the control of the said department not in conflict with any act of the general assembly. "The director of welfare shall have the power to organize the said department for administrative purposes into such divi­ sions as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the business of said department, and to appoint heads or chiefs of such divisions, who, under the supervision and control of said director, shall have the direction of such division." '98

Actually, department activities do not include supervision and care of juvenile delinquents, dependents, persons mentally deficient, or supervision of public amusements (except such as come within the scope of the recreation program). Work among juvenile delinquents and dependents is performed by the Louisville and Jeffer­ son County Children's Home, a joint city-county corpora­ tion. The state feeble-minded institute and insane asylums provide for the mentally deficient. An additional duty assigned by ordinance is the supervision of the solicitation of public subscriptions. Such solicitation is prohibited except on a permit issued by the Department. The Department supervises and is responsible for the following units of organization which are created by ordinance: Division of Recreation; Munici­ pal Bureau of Social Service; Home for the Aged and Infirm; City Workhouse; and the DiviSion of Public Baths, Cemeteries, and Comfort Station. Each division is headed by a superintendent responsible to the Direc­ tor of Welfare. originally a function of the Department of Public Health, pauper burials are now handled by the Department of Public Welfare. The Department also assists financially the Community Chest, Family Service Organization, and Mothers' Aid. 99

The new charter made possible the transfer from tbe old Board of Public Safety to the newly created Department of Public Welfare, the Home for the Aged and Infirm, City Workhouse, and Division of Cemeteries. From the old Board of Public Works came the Division ot Public Baths and Comfort Stations. The latter three divisions were later combined to form one division. The Division ot Recreation was formerly under the super­ Vision of the Board of Park Commissioners. Preceded by a committee of three, known as the Munioipa1 Relief Committee, wbich consisted of the Mayor, President of the Board of Aldermen, and Direotor of Welfare, the Municipal Relief Bureau was oreated by ordinance approved August 17, 1932. The name was changed to Municipal Bureau of Social Service on Sep­ tember 1, 1935. The City of Louisville operates on a budget system installed by Griffenhagen and Associates of Chi­ cago, Illinois, in 1935. The system provides an orderly method of setting up the budget and establishes a ve­ hicle for its systematiC administration and control. All salaries and wages paid to both permanent and temporary employees are set up by salary ordinance No. 358, Series 1934, as amended by General Ordinance No. 116, approved June 16, 1936, and Ordinance No. 378, 100

Series 1936, approved December 16, 1936. All salaries, increases, changes in classification, etc., are governed by this ordinance which must be used in preparing the budget for personal services. 31 The Recreation Division is administered by a Superintendent, an Assistant Superintendent, a Super­ visor, a Supervisor ot Colored Recreation, a Supervisor of Women's Athletics, a Supervisor ot Men's Athletics, special instructors in Crafts, Dramatics, two steno­ graphers, a clerk, specialists in marionettes and story telling, twelve full time community center workers, two part time dancing instructors, and a summer time staff to conduct the work on the playgrounds. The work of the Division is divided into the following divisions:

First: Summer playground program conSisting of a varied program of crafts, music, folk danCing, story telling, dramatics, mass games, small children's activities, wading pool activities, and team games. Second: Municipal Athletic Division which consists of the supervision and organization of all amateur athletics in the city. Baseball leagues,

. 31. Report trom the Department of Public Welfare pre­ pared by John Richardson and Charles Reiger, 1936, (typewritten). 101

softball leagues for both women and men, foot­ ball, tennis, basketball, track meets, table tennis, badminton, all fall under this division. Third: Community Center Division comprises three full ti'ne community centers: Highland Park, oak­ dale, Chestnut Street Center with their program of clubs, gymnastics, folk dancing, dramatics, crafts, nature study, muSiC, and athleties. There are also seven part time centers, tour- teen school gymnasiums in school buildings where a program of gymnasium classes, basket- ball games, and dancing classes are held. Five libraries are used for children's dancing classes, crafts, and dramatics.

In addition to these major divisions, marionette shows, plays, talks on various recreation subjects, assistance in training institutes, baseball clinics, basketball clinics, athletic demonstrations are given to outside groups. The following are the figures of attendance for 1937. September 1, 1936 --- August 31, 193' (Cumulative) Participants Spectators Total White 636,753 426,317 1,063,070 Negro 294,486 105,605 400,091 Total 931,239 531,922 1,463,161 l 102

Despite a month's curtailment in activities because of the flood, which came at the height ot the winter program, the total attendance was only slightly less than the previous year, although in the number of 32 participants the Division showed a gain of 87, 126. During 1934, at the suggestion of Mayor Neville Miller, Griffenhagen and Associates were retained to make a survey of the City Government and its depart- . - ments, making recommendations and suggestions for a more efficient administration. The Recreation Division of the Department ot Public Weltare came in for its share of criticism. At the time of the survey the Recreation Division had very tew actual records, and many of the facts were based upon estimates. If the survey showed nothing else, it did point to a big need for some system of permanent record keeping, and more pertinent statistics. The survey pOinted out that at the time of the investi­ gation that the Division had a very large seasonal staff and a very small permanent year round staff. It was recommended that a few people almost continuously employed could do the work more efficiently. College graduation was set as a qualification for the recreation leaders, and special training in recreation required tor those people in a supervisory capacity. As the tacilities tor a winter time program are so tew in

32. Annual Report ot the Weltare Department, 1937. 103

comparison to the summer t~e under the present set up, the recommendations for staff are not feasible. The survey showed the facts that the recreation program of the city was carried on by several wits of

the city government, no one of which is in a position to proceed with a complete program without the assis­ tance and cooperation of the others. The principal agencies involved were the Department of Public Welfare, the Board of Park Commissioners, and the Board of Edu­ cation. The Griffenhagen survey recommends that the Division of Recreation withdraw entirely from the field of recreation for children of school age during the school term, leaving this to the Board of Education. ODe serious obstacle to this change lies in the fact that the school day is so short as to preclude the de­ velopment of any satisfactory recreation program unless it is restricted to the period after school hours, which it should not be. It follows that the transfer of recreation for children of school age to the schools should be made as soon as the school day is lengthened. In dealing with the elementary school Children, the elementary public schools are the logical units, since each serves a geographical area Which can easily

be reached by the children of that age. To the extent that playground space is available at these schools, they are better adapted for a recreation program than 104

are the parks which are not so located as to be readily accessible to young children from all parts of the city. School playgrounds should therefore be kept open after school hours and throughout the summer. It was recommended that school employees should carryon the recreation program for school children through the summer, thereby avoiding the necessity which now exists for the Recreation Division to build up a temporary staff to handle playground activities during the summer. In the section devoted to the Board of Park Commissioners it is suggested that "it seems logical, inasmuch as all recreation facilities are supplied by the schools and by the Board of Park Commissioners, that all organized recreation be directed by these two branches and not by the Department of Public Wel­ fare. The division of the responsibility between the schools and park authorities should be made so that the Board of Education would be responsible for organized recreation for children of school age and the Board of Park Commissioners for organized adult recreation re­ gardless of whether school or park property is used." Other recommendations made in the Griffenhagen survey are: (a) Playgrounds and playground equipment should be made available at advan­ tageous locations throughout the City in parks and on school grounds. 105

(b) All playgrounds should rece1ve sufficient supervision to prevent the destruction of eqUipment through vandalism or improper usage, and to avoid "bullying" ot the smaller children. Persons engaged in such supervision should devote all available extra time to instruction in games, handicratt, and other playground activities. (c) In the slum and near-slum areas the playground program should be more extensive, approaching the present program ot supervised . play. Other recommendations dealt with program con­ tent and financial adjustments. To those who have been students of recreation and group work it is apparent that the persons making the recreation survey, did not have a very broad back­ ground of recreation philosophy .or of local situa­ tions or problems. The Gr1ffenhagen survey lacked the comprehensiveness of the 1916 survey made by Mr. Weir and did not bring to light the evident problems uncovered by the White House Conference, youth OUtside the Home and. School survey made in 1933. The survey did show, however, the duplication of sponsorship, and directed the readers to crit1cal consideration of the recreation set up in the public department. An effort was made by the Superintendent of Recreation to carry out the suggestions in so far as he was able, but the experiment ended more disastrously than successfully. 106

There should be closer cooperation between the groups concerned, but until understanding of recreation and its attendant problems is more widespread no attempt can be made to comply with such a survey. At the present writing, after much controversy, the Recreation Department has been put under the merit system along with the other divisions in the Health and Welfare Departments. The attempt is too new to make any conclusions, but it is a long step forward trom the time when the playground workers were merely volunteers who helped "watch the children." IV. INTERPRETATION 10'1

IV. IlITERPRETATION

The toregoing sections have dealt with the historical background and the recreation movement both as a whole and as confined to Louisville. An attempt has been made to show how the public and private agen­ cies have tried to fill the leisure time needs ot the citizens of this community. The questions on which an interpretation and evaluation of the movement must be based are these: "How did this movement begin?" "Ha,s the local move­ ment kept pace with the .modern trends in recreation?" "Is Louisville's recreation leadership outstanding and adequate?" "Are its finances sutficient for a well rounded program?" "Are the people satisfied with the results?" "Do th~y wish to push further on into un­ traveled paths?" "What of Louisville's future as a recreation center?" It will be noted that the local movement was started by private organizations and individuals in­ terested primarily in the well-being of the small child. For several years provision for play facilities and leadership for young children was the prime motive. Gradually the movement expanded until in 1906 children up to sixteen years of age were included in the program 108

of directed activities. From the very beg1nning, the playground movement in Louisville has been a conscious effort on the part of far-sighted, clear-thinking, civic-minded men and women to provide counter-irritants to the evil influences in the city. In the early days those interested in the wel­ fare of the children realized that leadership should be provided as well as facilities for the leisure time activities. As no specially trained people were avail­ able, kindergartners, who were cognizant of the value of play, were enlisted as leaders. This was a wise move, for the foundations laid by them were so strong that soon older children and adults were included in the programs. Public interest was aroused, and soon those who came to watch remained to partiCipate. The small budget raised by private donations was insufficient to take care of the demand for rec­ reation facilities. Public opinion was aroused to such an extent that municipal authorities were pressed to take over the supervision of the playgrounds. At first the only available assistance was the use ot a few school yards, but as early as 1909 this was de­ cried in a "Briet tor the Children," prepared by Mr. Lafon Allen, in which the plea, "Give Us a Chance," was emphasized time and again, and the urgent request for more adequate play spaces was reiterated, to sup­ plement the few brick paved school yards already made 109

available for use. However, even after public opinion had been aroused to the extent that use of certain public parks and properties were turned over for a few months in the summer, the private agencies and inter­ ested individuals had to nurture the playgrounds along by supplying the perishable supplies and certain funds for the employment of playground supervisors. The interest of the few who began this move­ ment has not slackened in the attempt to procure the best possible trained personnel for the recreation ac­ tivities. The steps have been gradual but they have all Ie d upward. Perhaps the most significant one was the establishment of the School ot Social Work to pro­ vide a training center tor leaders, and particularly its identification with the highest educational center of the city, the University of Louisville. The most recent step is the passage of the Merit Bill. With the workers in the City Health and Welfare Departments now under the merit system as a result of this Bill, Louisville is assured of even better trained leader­ ship than it has had in the past. The Graduate Divi­ sion of Social Administration of this University gives Louisville the opportunity and the facilities for training her workers while they are in service. One needs only to note the type of citizen who has been interested in the development of the movement 110

and the insistenoe on properly trained personnel, to realize the main reason £or its suocess. There has been no thought of £inancial gain in the minds ot these tar-sighted, altruistic citizens; they have had no waxes to grind,w no lands to sell to an unsuspecting - public tor parks, no pOlitical ambitions to satis£y. They have been motivated by the highest ideals and have carried out their plans with clearness ot percep­ tion and stead£astness of purpose. Commercialism has pLayed no part in the furtherance ot the plan once it was decided. upon. For purposes o£ comparison it may be well to show the development in recreation in the United States. This can best be portrayed by the tables whlch tollow. They present the trends of growth in recreation areas and £acl1ities in the United States £rom 1912 to 1936, the growth of the community recreation movement in the United States trom 1909 to 1936, and the summary ot cammunlty recreation in 1936 in the United States. These show that cities are attempting to make an e£fort toward solving the leisure time problems o£ their citizens. However, one concludes that nothing can be done positively until there is corporate action on the part o£ all concerned. An adequate budget, trained personnel, and proper £acilities, all these enter into the picture to make tor a proper leisure time program. 111

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, FISCAL YEAR 1936 - 1937, iN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY (33)

General Government • 479,705.82 Protection to Persons and Property 1,553,086.18 Conservation of Health 125,301.82 Sanitation and Cleanliness 510,427.12 Highways 814,085.56 Charities, Hospitals" and Corrections 1,138,067.06 Eduoation 653.89 Reoreation 48,554.03 Miscellaneous 211,376.49 Publio Servioe Enterprises 19,558.39 Total • 4,900,816.36

33. Ci 112

(34) GRO~TH IN RECREATION AREAS AND FACILITIES --- 1912-1936 IN THE UNITED STATES

\~.------~

•~­ / I / - , , - / I I / 7 I / I / 5

...... -. .... , ......

l NOTE: One unit on vertioal soale equals: 1,000 outdoor playgrounds under leadership 500 indoor oenters under leadership 100 swimming pools 100 reoreation buildings under leadership 100 bathing beaches 100 golf oourses 34. Year Book - National Reoreation Assooiation - June 1937 113

GROWTH OF COMMUNITY RECREATION MOVEMENT, 1909 - 1936 (35) IN THE UNITED ST.AT ES

1~------1

dJ ~-

NOTE: One unit on vertical scale equals: 100 cities 2,500 paid leaders 2,000 centers under leadership or supervision $3,333,333.33

35. Year Book, National Recreation Association, June 1937

------) 114

A SUMMARY OF uOMMUNITY RECREATION IN 193636 IN THE UNITED STATES Number of cities with play leadership or super- vised facilities------1,122 Total number of separate play areas reported----17,443(1)

New play areas opened in 1936 for the first . time------.. 1,275(2) Total number of play areas and special facilities reported: OUtdoor playgrounds------9,490 Recreation buildings----~----- 1,347 Indoor recreation centers----- 3,947 Play streets------···-- 212 Archery'ranges------270 Athletic fields------1,439 Baseball diamonds------3,568 Bathing beaches------516 Bowling greens------·------184 Golf courses------·_---- 354 Handball courts------1,409 Horseshoe courts---~---·------7,445 Ice skating areas------2,411 Picnic areas------2,065 Shuffleboard courts------1,159 Ski jumps------114 Softball diamonds------7,369 Stadiums------155 camps - da7--~---~------~~---- 138 Swimming pools------1,142 Tennis courts------10,029 Toboggan slides------272 Wading pools------1,295 Total number of employed recreation leaderS--~-_46,550(3) Total number of leaders employed full time the year round------~------2,792 Total number of volunteer leaders------8,579 Total expenditures for public recreation--$56,287,176.80(4) (1) This figure includes outdoor playgrounds, recreation buildings, indoor recreation centers, play streets, athletic fields, bathing beaches, golf courses, and summer camps. (2) Indoor centers open tor the first time are not included. (3) 26,498 of these leaders were paid from Emergency tunds. (4) $32,341,777.87 of this amount was Emergency funds. 36. Year Book of the National Recreation Association tor 1936, June, 1937. 115

These tables indicate that according to the national standard Louisville needs mare playgrounds, more money with which to equip and staff the recrea­ tion centers, and more adequately trained leadership if it is to keep pace with the needs of a growing com­ munity and rank high on charts which may include various cities of the United States. There bas been a decrease on certain playgrounds in Louisville ot the number of paid workers. In some cases this cut in personnel has been as high as fifty per cent in the past ten years, with an increase in the number /of children and adults to be served on the play areas. This increase is due to increased population as shown by the latest census figures and an increase in leisure time of the working classes because of their 108s of employment. Louisville has not kept pace with the needs of a growing community. But this slackening has not been due to a lack of interest on the part of the few who began the movement, but to a lack of civic conscious­ ness of the community as a whole. Dr. Willem van der Wald has made the plea that social workers make a positive approach to people and their problems. That is what public, private, and non-commercial recreation is attempting to do over and against the negative, often commercial activities. The 116

mament Louisville accepts this positive approach and views recreation and leisure with such an interpreta­ tion, then and only then will its citizens agree with Mr. Eduard Lindeman when he says tba t "recreation is no longer to be considered as mere bodily exercise, but rather as an opportunity for continuing education, for participation in civic affairs, for partaking in aesthetic experience, for developing skills and for the enjoyment of nature." Having once agreed with Mr. Lindeman, Louisville will then take steps to provide ways of making this a reality and not just a new defi­ nition of an old term. Distance lends perspective, and only through perspective may we see how the movement bas grown.

The clear-th±nking, far-sighted men ~nd women who were instrumental in beginning the recreation movement must have felt as o. D. Burns did when he said, "Civilization may depend for its roots upon the way in which work is done; but it depends for its finest flower upon the use of 1eisure.n37 It was the hope of these citizens to develop its "finest flower" through properly supervised group activities. They have tried consistently and with unswerving purpose to educate the community as a whole to a consciousness that would equal theirs. Progress, however, bas been slow. There

37. Burns, C. D., Leisure and Modern Societz, Harper Brothers, 1932. 11'7

has been advancement; there bas been an increase in properly trained workers in the field; there has been redoubled energy on the part of the few to educate the masses. But more education is needed to disturb the willing inertia so that new ideas may supplant the jealousies of those individuals who cannot see that the movement is greater than anyone person. More education is essential to prevent retarding of growth. The movement is too important, the current of public needs in the way of facilities too swiftly moving to be carried along by a few. The city, like the nation as a whole, needs corporate interest and corporate action on the part of all concerned. Louisville has grown in every other way. More adequate facilities will be made available; more funds will be allocated for better trained personnel; more vital programs will be established in direct propor­ tion to the arousing of civic consciousness and as the recreation movement keeps step with the growth of the community in other social lines. "My hope springs from necessity, because I see no way by which the values essen­ tial to a technological society can be discovered and realized save through such leisure as will nourish the demo­ cratic ideal."38

38. Lindeman, Eduard C., op. cit. 118

In conclusion, my answers to the questions which I raised in the tirst part ot this chapter are: Louisville has not kept pace with the modern trends in recreation to the extent ot supplying adequate tacili­ ties and personnel tor its rapidly growing population; there has been progress but it bas been very slow; its

leadership has beco~ increasingly better trained as the years have passed, but there is still need tor aore and better trained leaders; its tinances are by no means adequate tor a well rounded program; the people as a whole have not been awakened to their responsibility to provide proper tacilities, and only those tew who helped in the organization and have tollowed the growth ot the movement in Louisville are anxious to push tar­ ther into untraveled paths. There still remains one question unanswered. "What ot Louisville's future as a recreation center?" The answer to this is in the hands and in the minds ot the community as a whole. I can only surmise. I can only guess. I can only hopei It the citl as a whole would teel and act as the -tew have telt and acted, there is no reason why Louisville should not attain national recognition for solving its recreation problem.

------~ v. BIBLIOGRAPHY 119 -. v. BIBLIOGRAPHY

The material for this sketch has been obtained from man,. sources both pu.blished and unpublished. A. complete bibliography for the published material is given. Por the unpublished, the files of' Neighborhood House, the Recreation Council, the Community Chest, and the former School of Social Work have been con­ sulted. Personal letters of Miss Frances Ingram, un­ published reports of the former Recreation League, manuscripts, personal notes for talks, minute books, and mimeographed articles have been used freely. Most of the material was dated, but in some instances no dates were given.

I. UNPUBLISHED l4ATERIAL Minute Books of the Recreation League Recreation Surveys of Louisville, 1911, 1916, 1924, 1925, 1927 Notes tor talks on recreation (Undated) Annual Report of the President of the Recreation League, 1902 Files of the uommunity Chest, Louisville School ot Social Work Recreation Council, and Neighborhood House Personal letters to Miss Frances Ingram Typewritten and mimeographed articles obtained from personal files of Miss Ingrame(Undated) II. PUBLISHED MATERIAL a. Books Bowen, W. P., and Mitchell, E. D., The TheOr! of Organized Plal, Bew York, A. S. Barnes and Go., 192 •

. Burns, (;. D., Leisure and Modern Soc~etl, Harper Brothers, 1932. Caron, G. L., Louisville Directarl, 1937, Caron Directory Go. 120

Cherry, Thomas Crittenden, xentuc~ The Pioneer state of The West, Heath and co., 19 • . Coad, o. S., and Mims, Edwin, Jr., "The American Stage," pa;ant of America, Vol. XIV, Yale Universi t,. Press, 19 • cutten, G. B., Threats or Leisure, American Education Press, 1923. • uOllins, R. H., History of Kentucky, 1874. Collins, Gabriel, Louisville D1rectarl, 1836, 1838, 1839, 1843, 1844, 1848. Davis, Jerome, Capitalism and Its Culture, Farrar and Rinehart, 1935. Dimock am Hendry, C&miia and Character, lfew York, Association Press, 9 • Johnston, J. Stoddard, Memorial History of Louisville, . American Biographical PUblisnihg Co., 1896. Jacks, L. P., Education Through Recreation, Harper . Brothers, 1932. Kendrick, William carnes, Reminiscences of Old Louis­ ville, Mimeograph Collection, 1937.

Lee, Joseph, Play in Education, MacMilla~ Co., 1923. Louisville Librah! collection, Collected Writings Relating to t History 01 Louisville, 1935. Mitchell, E. D., and Mason, B. S., The Theory of Plal, Barnes, 1934. Nash, Jay B., The organization and Administration of PlalS!ounds and Recreation, Barnes, 192'.

Neume,er, M. H. and E. S., Lei~re and Recreation, A. S. Barnes and Co., 19!6. otis, Richard, Louisville Directory, 1832. Purcell, Margaret Grassham, Storie s d Old Xentucq, American Book Co., 1915. Rainwater, Clarence, The Pla7 Movement in the United States, University or cfiIeago Press, 1922. 121

stetner, Jesse FrederiCk! Americans At PlaI, McGraw- Hill Book Co., Inc., 933. · Steiner, Jesse Freder1ck, Communltl Organization, Appleton and GO., 1930.

Smith, Z. E., ~istorl or KentuCgl. Veblen, Thorstein, The Theoq of the !,eim re Class, The Viking Press, 1931. Williamson, Margretta, The Social Worker in Group Work, liew York, Harper and Bi'otliers. b. Pamphlets Public PlaYgrounds d Louisvllle, Bulletin of 1904 Season, published by ftecreatlon League or Louisville, 1905. Plaw0und Report of the Bm rd of Park Commissioners . 0 the city or Louisville, 19lb. Report of the Kentuckl Ohild Welfare Oonference and EXhibit, iotemDeP, 1912. Annual Report of the Operat10n of PlaFounds, Board of 'ark commissioners or the cIty or oulsvil1e, 1915.

Report of the V1ce oomm1ss10n Loui8v1l1e6mfentuc~, Survey ~ EXistihg COriditi bns with Reb ebda~ns to the Hon. John H. Buschmeyer, Kayor, LoUisville, 1915. Ohild Weltare in Kentuc!y, Batlonal Child Labor Oommlttee, lew York, 1019. Reper t Uion the Pr ertles, Development ot Pr0Rfrtles-&­ socia Uses of 6operties of th~LOUisville ark and Recreation ~s£em and u;jn the organization ana lanagement t:&e Louis lie Park Department, t. H. Weir; l§lS. Re

Child Welfare in Kentuek7, Thirteen Four Minute Addresses, (10 date). Report of surve, for the Bond Issue, Louisville, Eentucky, i. R. Batch8 or, 1927. 122

Municipal Recreation, Adult Educat1on, ~pr1l, 1929. s, House,

White House Conference tor Jetterson county, Kentucky - Youth outside ot Home and SchoOl, 1033.

Develo~nt or a Leisure Time pro~am in Small Cities aiii! Owns, Ella Gardrier, United tates Department Ct Labor, 1933. Space Requirements tor the Children's PlalS!'ound, lational RecreatIon Xssoclation, 1934.

Government Aid Duri~ the Depression to Proressional, TecnnIca1 and Ot r Service Workers, Worxs progress I&ministration, 193'. Report at the Technical Committee on Recreat10ntnl;ter­ defrrtmental committee to coordiDite Health We are Activities, Woria Progress Admlnlstratlon, 1937.

Act1vities at Pederal ~nciea in the Pield of Ree­ rea~10n, IH~erdepar ntal·Cdiiittee to CooPHiHate Health and Welfare Act1vities, Works Progress Admin1stration, 1937.

The Train1~ of W.P.A. Worke'rs 111 tbe Field of Recrea­ tion, ~.l. TecBHica1 Series, Recreation eircilar 10. 1, Works Progress Administration, Recreat10n Div1sion, Washington, D.O., 1937.

State Enabl1n~eg1s1at1on ror Local Recreation, Wor~s progress A nistration, Washington, D.O., 1937. Recreation, Year Book Number, June, 1937, Vol. 31, No.3, 1937. Social Group Work, A Det1l1ition with a Methodological lae, leva t. BoJd, Northwestern Univers1ty, Chicago, April, 1937. Tbe Cit! Goveruaent of Louisville: Its Nature, Purposes aDd tructure, Gr1tfeDbagen aDd Assoc1ates, a series ot 27 pamphlets dealing with tbe organization and administration of the City of Lou1sville, 193'_ 123

c. Articles Bold, Beva L., flpla7 - A Unique Discipline,fl Childhood Education, 1934. C071e, Grace L., "Group WorK and Social Change," Xationa1 Conference of Social Work Proceedings, 1935. Be.stetter, W. I., "What is Social Group Work?: National Conference of Social Work proceedings, 1935. Ingram, Frances, "The Neighborhood House, Its Place in the Life of a Cit7," Tennessee Conference of Social Work, 1935. Lindeman, Eduard C., "Youth and Leisure," The Annals of the American Academy of Political and socIal science, 193'1. Durrett, R. T., "The Centenary of Louisville," Filson Club Proceedings, John P. Morton Company, 1893.

Files of the Courier-Journal, Louisville T~es, Herald, Herald Post, 1895-1937.

_~I ~\------VI. APPENDIX VI. APPENDIX

The following is the complete copy of Senate Bill No. 274 (Home Rule Recreation Act), which pro- vides for the establishment, conduct, and maintenance

of public playgrounds and recreation cent~rs. "IN SENATE Regular Session Senate Bill No. 274 Wednesday, February-- 6, 1924 "Mr. Caywood introduced the following bill, which was ordered to be printed and referred to the Committee on Public Health, viz.: AN ACT to provide for the estab. lishment, conduct and maintenance of public playgrounds and recreation grounds and centers in and by cities and counties; and authorizing school districts to join in the conduct and operation of such playgrounds and recreation centers. "Be it enacted bI the General Assembly of the Commonwealth -- 01 !en§uc~ "Section 1. The maintenance and operation of the playgrounds aDd recreation centers is hereby de­ clared to be a proper public municipal purpose for cities of all classes and counties. The city council or board of commissioners of any City, or the fiscal court ot any county may dedicate and set apart tor the use as playgr~s and recreation centers any lands or buildings owned or leased by such city or county and not devoted to another and inconsistent public use, , 125

and may acquire land or buildings, or both, to be used for such purposes by purchase, lease, ~ondemnation or otherwise.

"Section 2. The city council or b~ rd of com­ missioners or any city, or fiscal court of any county may establish a playground and recreation system and may vest the power to provide, maintain and conduct playgrounds and recreation centers in the park board, board of education or other existing body, or in a playground and recreation beard as the governing body may determine. Any board so designated shall have the power to maintain and equip playgrounds and recreation centers and the buildings thereon, and shall, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Act, em­ ploy trained and qualified playground directcrs, super­ Visors, recreation superintendents, or such other officers and employees as they deem proper. "Section 3. If the city councilor board ot commissioners 01 any city, or fiscal court ot any county, determines that the power t~ provide, conduct and main­ tain playgrounds and recreation centers shall be exer­ cised by a playground and recreation beard, mch coun­ cil, commission or court shall, by resoluti9n or ordi­ nance, establish a playground and recreation board in such city or county which shall possess all the powers and be subject to all the responsibilities of this Act. Such board, when established, shall consist of five persons to be appointed by the Mayor, Judge of the County Court to serve for terms of five years, or un­ til their successors are appOinted, except that the members first appOinted shall be so appointed that the term of one member shall expire annually thereafter. Vacancies occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments and for the unexpired term. Members shall serve without pay. "Section 4. Any two or more cities, or any city and county, may jOintly establish, maintain and conduct a recreation system. Any school district may join with any city or county in providing and conduct­ ing public playgrounds and recreation centers. "Section 5. A playground and recreation board or other authority in which is vested the power to pro­ Vide, conduct and maintain playgrounds and recreation centers may accept any grant or devise of real estate, or any bequest or gift of money, or any donation the 126

principal or income of which is to be used for playground or recreation purposes. Money received for such purposes, shall, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the be­ quest, be depOSited with the city or county treasurer to the account of the playground and recreation board, or other body having charge of such work, and may be withdrawn and paid out in the same manner as money ap­ propriated for recreation purposes. "Section 6. Whenever the city councilor board of commissioners of any city or fiscal court of any county establishes a supervised recreation system, in accordance With the provisions of this Act, such coun­ cil, board or court may provide out of the general funds of such city or county for the purpose of equipping, maintaining and operating such recreation system."

B. The following -information obtained from the office of the Board of Park Commissioners gives the location, acreage, and facilities on the public parks in Louisville. PARK PROPERTIES, LOCATIONS, ACREAGE and FACILI'I'IES

B~RD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY

Park: Location: Acreage: Facilities: Algonquin 25th & Gypress 16.443 2 Recreation Buildings (Park) St. 2 Baseball Diamonds 1 Volley Ball Court 1 Soft Ball Diamond 6 Tennis Courts Ballard Galdwell st. 1.0 1 Recreation Building (Play­ between Jack­ 4 Horseshoe Courts ground son and Han­ 1 Volley Ball Court -Gol. ) cock Swings, See-saws, and Sand-box

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Park: Location: Acreage: Facilities:. Baxter Sq. 11th and 12th 2.1 1 Recreation Building (Play­ sts. between 1 Wading Pool ground Jeff'erson & 1 Volley Ball Court -Col. ) Liberty 1 Baseball Diamond 2 Horseshoe Courts SWings, See~saws and Sliding Board Boone Sq. 19th and 20th 4.5 1 Recreation Building (Play­ Sts. between 1 Wading Pool ground) Rowan and 2 Horseshoe Courts Duncan I Soft Ball Diamond I Volley Ball Court Acting Bar, Swings, See-saws and Sand-box Castleman Oast1ewood Ave. 1.79 (Used as parkway plot) Park near Barrett Ave. Central Fourth to 17.2 1 Recreation Building Park Sixth Sts. (Park Police Hdqtrs.) between Park 1 Bandstand and Magnolia 8 Tennis Oourt s 2 Oroquet Courts 4 Horseshoe Courts I Soft Ball Diamond I Wading Pool Swings, See-saws, Slid­ ing Board and Sand-box Cherokee Cherokee 409.3 3 Recreation Buildings Park Parkway I Bird Observatcry (comp. Grinstead with collection of Drive and mounted birds) Eastern Parle­ I Archery Range way 5 Tennis Oourts 2 Baseball Diamonds 1 Football Field 2 Ho ekey Fields Bridle Path Lake (with facilities for Lous. casting Club) Picnic Ovens Swings, See-saws, Sliding Boards and Sand-box 9-Hole Golf course, com- plete with Club-House Chickasaw Park 46th & 76.2 I Recreation Building (Col.) Greenwood 1 Bandstand 1 Lagoon (with four canoe racks) 128

Park: Location: ~reage: Facilities: Ohickawaw 1 Football Field Park 2 Baseball Diamonds (Cont.) 6 Tennis courts 4 Horseshoe Courts 2 Volley Ball courts 1 Picnic Oven 1 Wading Pool Swings, See-saws and Sliding Board Churchill Orittenden Dr. 12.56 Park Board Shops and Park & southern R.R. Storage Geo. Rog- Poplar Level 43.9 (Undeveloped) ers Clark Road at McKin- Park ley Ave. Clifton Brownsboro Rd. 7.0 Swings and See-saws Park between Ccral (PlaJgro~& Haldeman Aves. Crescent Brownsboro 77.0 9-Hole Golf Course, cam­ Hill Golf Road & Lucille plete with club-house Course Ave. (leased from Lou. water Co.) 4 Tennis Courts Downtown Walnut & Jack- 2.34 Recreation Building Play- son 2 Soft Ball Diamonds ground Swings, See-saws and Sand- box Elliott 28th & Maga- 3.9 1 Recreation Building Square zine 2 Horseshoe Courts (Play- 1 Soft Ball Diamond ground) 1 Volley Ball Court 1 Wading Pool Swings, See-saws, Acting Bar, Sliding Board and Sand-Box Highland Ashbottom Rd. 22.00 1 Recreation Building Park & Phillips 2 Baseball Diamonds Lane 1 Football Field 1 Wading Pool 2 Tennis Courts Swings, See-saws and Sandbox Iroquois Southern Sec- 676.4 Jacob's Lodge (open to Park tion end of public-on reservation) Southern 6 pavil10ns Parkway 8 Tennis Courts 1 Baseball D1amond 4 Horseshoe Courts 1 Football F1eld

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Pacilities: Picnic Ovens Bridle Path Swings, See-saws, Sliding Board & Sandbox Bandstand (This park is owned by the Federal Government but the Park Board main­ tains the grounds.) 1 Recreation Building 1 Sott Ball Diamond 1 Wading Pool 2 Volley Ball courts Swings, See-saws, Slid- ing Board & Sandbox Seneca Park Taylorsville 552.00 4 Tennis Courts Road and 3 Baseball Diamonds Cannon's 1 Football Field Lane 1 lS-Hole Golf course, complete with clubhouse (Th1s includes a tract ot 185 acres, known as Bow­ man Field, and leased. to the Jefferson County Air Board as a municipal airport. ) Seminole Ashbottom Road 71.78 Undeveloped Park & Pocohontas (Col. ) st. Shawnee Western Sec- 181.5 1 Bandstand Park tion Along 1 Ball House (used tor Ohio River dancing classes, etc.) from Market 2 Pavilions St. to Broad- 20 Tennis Gourts way 16 Baseball Diamonds 2 Football Fields 4 Horseshoe Courts 1 Volley Ball Court 1 Wading Pool 1 Fish Pond 1 Lily Pond Picnic Ovens Swings, See-saws, May Pole, Acting Bar, Sliding Boards and Sandbox 1 lS-Hole Golt Course, complete with clubhouse (This land was donated to the City of Louis­ ville by Dr. Baxter and is used by the B.P.C. as a golt course.'

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Park: Location: Acrease: Facillties: . Shelby One-halt 1'1.4 1 Swimming Pool Park block South 1 Bath House ot oak St. 1 Recreation Building between Clay 1 Wading Pool and Jackson 11 Tennis Courts . 1 Baseball Diamond Swings, See-saws and Sandbox W. H. Shep-17th & Kaga- 3.0 1 Swimming Pool pard zine between 1 Bath House Park Broadway and 1 Recreation Building (Col. ) Chestnut 1 Sott Ball Diamond 1 Volley Ball Court SWings, See-saws, Sllding Boards and Sandbox Stor,. Ave. Story Ave. & 1.0 Undeveloped (Play- Market st. ground) Tlma.ston River Road at 4.9 1 Recreation Building Square Wayne & Ohio 2 Baseball Diamonds 1 Sottball Diamond 1 Volley Ball Court 2 Horseshoe Courts 1 Wading Pool Swings, See-saws, Acting Bar, Sliding Boards and Sandbox Triangle Third St. & 7.3 1 Recreation Building Park Eastern Pkway 1 Wading Pool (Play. 4 Tennis Courts ground) 1 Baseball Diamond Swings, See-saws, Sliding Board & Sandbox Tyler Baxter Avenue 12.6 Bandstand Park & Windsor 6 Tennis Courts (Play- Place 2 Sott Ball Diamonds ground) 1 Horseshoe Court 1 Volley BallCourt Swings, See-saws, Acting Bar & Sandbox Victory 22nd & 23rd 4.1 1 Recreation Building Park sts. between 1 sar t Ball Diamond Greenwood and 1 Wading Pool Ky. Sts. 2 Horseshoe courts 2 Volley Ball Courts SWings, See-saws, Sandbox, Sliding Board and Act- ing Bar 131

~ Park: Location: Acrease: Facilities: Wayside Southern Pleway 1.6 Undeveloped Park &: Collins (Play- Oourt ground Wyandotte East side of 31.0 Undeveloped (Recent addition) Park Taylor Blvd. South of Oak Park Subd1v1sion 29th &: 29th a: Rowan 3.0 1 Baseball D1amond Rowan Sts. appx. 1 Sandbox Swing and See-saws (Property owned by the City-former dumping site-furnished with facilities by Park Board. ) 36th &: Borth West (N.P.B.P.) 1 Soft Ball Diamond Hale Corner

C. The mileage or parkways maintained by the Board of Park Commissioners is g1ven below.

MILEAGE OF PARDIAYS Algonqu1n Parleway------4.5 Miles Alta Vista Road------1.12 " Cherokee Drive and Oherokee Parkway------0.8 Oherokee Road------1.3 " Chickasaw Park Road------4.5 " Douglas Boulevard------0.9 " Eastern Parkway------3.9 " Maple Road------0.14 " Shawnee Drive------0.5 " .. Southern Parkway------2.7 " Western Par.. &7~------3.5 " Road connecting Seneca and Cherokee parks------1.5 " TOTAL ACREAGE OF PARK SYSTEM Parks------2,129.91 Acres P1aygrounds------47.94 " TOTAL MILEAGE OF PARltWAYS 25.86 Miles 132.

TOTAL PARKWAY MILEAGE IN PARKS 31.'7 Miles

D. The following is a list of Points of Interest in the public parks of Louisville. POINTS OF INTEREST COLLECTION OF Now on display in Bird Observatory in MOUNTED BIRDS Cherokee Park. Donated by the Louisville Polytechnic Society, June 9, 1910. CBllISTIAB8E11 In Cherokee Park. Designed and donated FOUNTAIN by Miss christiansen, a teacher in the Louisville Public Schools, in honor of her mother. DANIEL BOONE Donated by u. C. Bickel, Louisville, STATUE Kentucky. Designed and executed py Miss Enid Yandell. Placed in Cherokee Park and dedicated June 14, 1906. HOGAN FOUNTAIN In Cherokee Parlt. Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. J. Hogan. Designed and. exe­ cuted by Miss Enid Yandell. WARDS MILL At Big Rock, Cherokee Park. Included in tract of approximately seventeen acres donated by Mrs. Sallie R. carter, Novem­ ber 28, 1899. OASTLEMAN At Cherokee Parkway entrance to Cherokee STATUE Park. Erected to General John B. castle­ man, one of the sponsors of the Louisville Park System, by the citizens of Louisville. Executed by Terry of New York. Dedicated November 8, 1913. WALLER In Shawnee Park. Donated by Louisville MEMORIAL Civic Olubs in compliment to Mrs. carrie .. E. Waller. Designed and. erected by Woodson and Kratch Monument company, Louisville. BIG BROTHER In Cherokee Park, between Dingle Road and No. 5 Bridge, on left entering Park. Natural tree formation, unique in size and growth. THREE SISTERS In Cherokee Park, between Dingle Road and No. 5 Bridge, on the left entering the park. Natural tree growth, three trees growing from one root. Unique formation.